Is Emporia, KS Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Emporia's water

The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.

Contaminant	Level vs EPA limit	Suppliers	Source
Nitrate	870 µg/L 8.7% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Fluoride	700 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Copper	360 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	5/5	SYR4
TTHM	180 µg/L 225% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L	5/5	SYR4
Chloroform	130 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/5	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	88 µg/L 147% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L	5/5	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	49 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/5	SYR4
Lead	43 µg/L 287% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L	4/5	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	39 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/5	SYR4
Bromate	33 µg/L 330% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	31 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/5	SYR4
Barium	24 µg/L 1.2% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	21 µg/L No EPA limit set	4/5	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	13 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/5	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	6.5 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/5	SYR4
Bromoform	4.2 µg/L No EPA limit set	4/5	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	2.2 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/5	SYR4
Selenium	2.2 µg/L 4.4% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Chromium	1.5 µg/L 1.5% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Arsenic	1.3 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Atrazine	1.2 µg/L 40% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Lead	0.0046 mg/L 31% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	5/5	LCR

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 single worst sample on record — 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 Emporia

Supplier	Population served
EMPORIA, CITY OF	24,009
LYON CO RWD 1	1,595
LYON CO RWD 5	1,310
LYON CO RWD 2	750
PARK PLACE COMMUNITIES MGT LLC	200

Frequently asked questions about Emporia tap water

Is Emporia tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 22 contaminants in the water serving Emporia. 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 Emporia?

5 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Emporia, Kansas to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Emporia's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Emporia include Nitrate, Fluoride, Copper, TTHM, Chloroform. The full list, with the highest level found 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.