Meridian, ID Water Quality Report

Is Meridian tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Meridian, Idaho. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.

Quick Answers

Is Meridian tap water safe to drink? Meridian water has high PFAS contamination. EPA UCMR5 testing detected a peak level of 99.5 ppt, significantly above the EPA's 4 ppt enforceable limit. A reverse osmosis or certified PFAS filter is strongly recommended.

What contaminants are in Meridian water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Meridian water: lithium (99.5 ppt), PFHxS (0 ppt), PFOS (0 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.

What filter should I use in Meridian? Reverse osmosis removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. NSF-53 certified pitcher and faucet filters (ZeroWater, Clearly Filtered, LifeStraw) work for smaller households. Skip standard Brita filters for PFAS removal.

Meridian Water Quality Summary

EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Meridian drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 99.5 ppt across 3 water systems, representing an average of 22.84 ppt across 3 detected compounds.

Contamination Level: HIGH – High contamination – multiple PFAS compounds detected at levels significantly above EPA safety thresholds.

Top Detected Compounds

  • lithium: 99.5 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFHxS: 0 ppt
  • PFOS: 0 ppt

Lead in Meridian Water

EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 68 lead samples for Meridian water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.01 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.

EPA Violations in Meridian

Meridian public water systems have 14 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Combined Uranium, 4000, Chromium. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.

About the Data

These figures come from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) testing program, 2023-2025. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national drinking water survey in US history, covering 66,000+ public water systems. Population of Meridian: approximately 117,635.

ZIP Codes Served

83642, 83646

What Meridian Residents Should Do

  1. Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
  2. Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
  3. If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
  4. Review your utility's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) annually