What was found in Payson's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 4000 µg/L 40% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 8208 µg/L — PAYSON WATER - EAST VERDE ESTATES · 375 people · 2014 | 12/16 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 3800 µg/L 38% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 8200 µg/L — PAYSON WATER - EAST VERDE ESTATES · 375 people · 2019 | 14/16 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 3210 µg/L 321% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 1000 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2018 | 1/16 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 1900 µg/L 48% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2016 | 12/16 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 100 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2016
Highest in the city: 650 µg/L — PAYSON WATER - FLOWING SPRINGS · 86 people · 2013 | 12/16 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 325.5 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 425 µg/L — PAYSON WATER - EAST VERDE ESTATES · 375 people · 2017 | 12/16 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 75.1 µg/L 94% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 117.45 µg/L — Tonto Apache · 2,580 people · 2019 | 11/16 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 40.75 µg/L 68% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 76.26 µg/L — RIM TRAIL DWID · 200 people · 2019 | 11/16 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 57.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2024 | 1/16 | UCMR-5 |
| Chloroform | 35.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: TONTO BASIN WATER - LR GARDENS WEST · 1,172 people · 2019 | 1/16 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 6.45 µg/L 43% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 18.44 µg/L — PAYSON WATER - WHISPERING PINES · 403 people · 2017 | 12/16 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 16.3 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: TONTO BASIN WATER - LR GARDENS WEST · 1,172 people · 2019 | 1/16 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 13.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: TONTO BASIN WATER - LR GARDENS WEST · 1,172 people · 2019 | 3/16 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 0.6750 pCi/L 4.5% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 13 pCi/L — PAYSON WATER - FLOWING SPRINGS · 86 people · 2019 | 2/16 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 3.4 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 11 µg/L — PAYSON WATER - FLOWING SPRINGS · 86 people · 2019 | 2/16 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 9.08 µg/L 151% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 6 µg/L Highest in the city: W RANCH RESORT · 200 people · 2017 | 1/16 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 9 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: PAYSON WATER - DEER CREEK · 308 people · 2017 | 2/16 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 6.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: TONTO BASIN WATER - LR GARDENS WEST · 1,172 people · 2019 | 1/16 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 6.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: TONTO BASIN WATER - LR GARDENS WEST · 1,172 people · 2019 | 3/16 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 6.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: TONTO BASIN WATER - LR GARDENS WEST · 1,172 people · 2019 | 2/16 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 2.645 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2016
Highest in the city: 5.755 µg/L — GERONIMO ESTATES · 212 people · 2016 | 9/16 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 4.74 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2019 | 3/16 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 2.7 µg/L 2.7% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: PAYSON WATER - DEER CREEK · 308 people · 2017 | 4/16 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: TONTO BASIN WATER - LR GARDENS WEST · 1,172 people · 2019 | 3/16 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 1.5605 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: TONTO BASIN WATER - LR GARDENS WEST · 1,172 people · 2019 | 1/16 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.31 pCi/L 26% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2019 | 4/16 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 1.02 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2019 | 1/16 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 0.9590 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2019 | 1/16 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE | 0.8100 µg/L 405% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 0.2000 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2016 | 1/16 | SYR4 |
| Pentachlorophenol | 0.2100 µg/L 21% of the EPA limit 1 µg/L Highest in the city: TONTO BASIN WATER ROOSEVELT LAKE ESTATES · 508 people · 2019 | 1/16 | SYR4 |
| Ethylene Dibromide | 0.1800 µg/L 360% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 0.0500 µg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2016 | 1/16 | SYR4 |
| PFBS | 0.0548 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2024 | 1/16 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0482 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2024 | 1/16 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOS | 0.0422 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2024 | 1/16 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0409 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2024 | 1/16 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0334 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2024 | 1/16 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfba | 0.0320 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2024 | 1/16 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0227 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2024 | 1/16 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0132 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2024 | 1/16 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0035 mg/L 23% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0130 mg/L — PAYSON WATER - EAST VERDE ESTATES · 375 people · 2023 | 16/16 | LCR |
| Pfda | 0.0035 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PAYSON TOWN OF · 17,682 people · 2024 | 1/16 | UCMR-5 |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Payson
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| PAYSON TOWN OF | 17,682 |
| Tonto Apache | 2,580 |
| TONTO BASIN WATER - LR GARDENS WEST | 1,172 |
| PAYSON WATER - MESA DE CABALLO | 976 |
| TONTO BASIN WATER ROOSEVELT LAKE ESTATES | 508 |
| PAYSON WATER - WHISPERING PINES | 403 |
| PAYSON WATER - EAST VERDE ESTATES | 375 |
| PAYSON WATER - DEER CREEK | 308 |
| CS GARDNER WATER COMPANY | 266 |
| GERONIMO ESTATES | 212 |
| RIM TRAIL DWID | 200 |
| W RANCH RESORT | 200 |
| VERDE GLEN DWID | 117 |
| PAYSON WATER - FLOWING SPRINGS | 86 |
| BONITA CREEK WATER COMPANY | 65 |
| RIM COUNTRY ESTATES MHP | 36 |
Frequently asked questions about Payson tap water
Is Payson tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 41 contaminants in the water serving Payson. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Payson?
16 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Payson, Arizona to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Payson's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Payson include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Nitrite, Fluoride, Barium. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.