Fayette County, Kentucky: drinking water report. Fayette County is consolidated with the city of Lexington, making it Kentucky's second-largest metro area…
Fayette County is consolidated with the city of Lexington, making it Kentucky's second-largest metro area with about 323,000 residents. Kentucky American Water serves the county, drawing primarily from the Kentucky River and supplementing with Pool 9 of that river via the Richmond Road treatment plant. The Kentucky River drains a large watershed that includes coal country, agricultural land, and scattered industrial operations – each contributing different contaminants to the raw water before it reaches the treatment intake.
The Kentucky River watershed includes areas with active and abandoned coal mining, and bromide from coal-fired power plant discharges and brine from oil and gas operations has been documented in the river. According to the Kentucky Division of Water's 2024 assessment, bromide reacts with chlorine during treatment to form brominated disinfection byproducts, which are considered more toxic than their chlorinated counterparts. Kentucky American Water has reported elevated total trihalomethane levels during warm-weather months when organic loading increases.
The EPA's UCMR5 data shows PFAS detections in the Lexington system. The Blue Grass Army Depot in adjacent Madison County has confirmed PFAS contamination from munitions disposal and firefighting operations. A 2023 Kentucky DEP report found two water systems in the county with PFAS detections near the EPA's MCLs.
Disinfection byproducts tend to peak in summer in Fayette County when the Kentucky River carries higher organic loads and water temperatures rise. If your water tastes or smells strongly of chlorine during these months, a carbon filter will reduce both the taste and the byproducts.
Check your water for current data on your area. For PFAS, reverse osmosis is the stronger choice. Our water filter guide ranks systems by lab-tested removal rates. Pull your detailed report for seasonal trends, and see our Kentucky page for statewide context.