Tempe, AZ Water Quality Report
Is Tempe tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Tempe, Arizona. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is Tempe, AZ tap water safe to drink? Tempe, AZ water has high PFAS contamination. EPA UCMR5 testing detected a peak level of 150 ppt, significantly above the EPA's 4 ppt enforceable limit. A reverse osmosis or certified PFAS filter is strongly recommended.
What contaminants are in Tempe, AZ water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Tempe water: PFOS (150 ppt), PFHxS (95 ppt), PFOA (50 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in Tempe, AZ? Match the filter to what's in Arizona water: reverse osmosis handles PFAS, lead, and arsenic together (90%+ removal); NSF-53 certified pitchers like Clearly Filtered or ZeroWater cover taps you drink from. A standard Brita pitcher will not remove PFAS.
Tempe, AZ Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Tempe, AZ drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 150 ppt across 2 water systems, representing an average of 4.61 ppt across 9 detected compounds.
Contamination Level: HIGH – High contamination – multiple PFAS compounds detected at levels significantly above EPA safety thresholds.
Top Detected Compounds
- PFOS: 150 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFHxS: 95 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFOA: 50 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFHpA: 13 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFBS: 0.03 ppt
Lead in Tempe, AZ Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 20 lead samples for Tempe water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.011 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 Tempe, AZ
Tempe public water systems have 4 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Haloacetic Acids, Selenium, Surface Water Treatment Rule. 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 Tempe, AZ: approximately 192,364.
ZIP Codes Served
What Tempe, Arizona Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- If anyone in your household is pregnant or under 5, prioritize a certified PFAS filter now and consider a home test kit
- For long-term protection, an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system removes 94-99% of PFAS
- Read the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your Arizona utility publishes each year