Is Topeka, KS Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Topeka'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
Copper	3100 µg/L 238% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 1300 µg/L	5/5	SYR4
Nitrate	1800 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Fluoride	1400 µg/L 35% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	150 µg/L 250% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L	5/5	SYR4
TTHM	97 µg/L 121% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L	5/5	SYR4
Chloroform	85 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/5	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	83 µg/L No EPA limit set	4/5	SYR4
Barium	80 µg/L 4% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	68 µg/L No EPA limit set	4/5	SYR4
Lead	46 µg/L 307% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L	5/5	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	23 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/5	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	23 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/5	SYR4
Lithium	21 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	UCMR-5
Monochloroacetic Acid	16 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/5	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	13 µg/L No EPA limit set	4/5	SYR4
Selenium	13 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Bromoform	9.3 µg/L No EPA limit set	4/5	SYR4
Chromium	7.2 µg/L 7.2% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Atrazine	3.1 µg/L 103% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 3 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Arsenic	2.1 µg/L 21% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	2.1 µg/L No EPA limit set	4/5	SYR4
Pfba	0.0058 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	UCMR-5
Lead	0.0029 mg/L 19% 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 Topeka

Supplier	Population served
TOPEKA, CITY OF	125,963
SHAWNEE CO RWD 4C	12,000
SHAWNEE CO RWD 3C	2,675
SHAWNEE CO RWD 2C	700
METRO TOPEKA AIRPORT AUTHORITY	500

Frequently asked questions about Topeka tap water

Is Topeka tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 23 contaminants in the water serving Topeka. 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 Topeka?

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

What contaminants are in Topeka's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Topeka include Copper, Nitrate, Fluoride, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), TTHM. 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.