Is Joplin, MO Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Joplin'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	4110 µg/L 41% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite	4110 µg/L 41% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	4/5	SYR4
Fluoride	1020 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	4/5	SYR4
Copper	367 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	5/5	SYR4
Barium	200 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	5/5	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	107.7 µg/L 180% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
TTHM	93.2 µg/L 117% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Chloroform	88.7 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	53.3 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	50.7 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Lithium	27.1 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	UCMR-5
Lead	14.5 µg/L 97% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L	4/5	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	11.7 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	8.9 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U	8 pCi/L 53% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L	1/5	SYR4
Chromium	7.48 µg/L 7.5% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	5/5	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	5.8 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	3.6 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/5	SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)	2.6 pCi/L 52% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L	3/5	SYR4
Arsenic	1.44 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Cadmium	1.29 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	1.22 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Bromoform	1.16 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Carbon Tetrachloride	0.8000 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Atrazine	0.7000 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
2,4-D	0.3000 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Simazine	0.1500 µg/L 3.8% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Lead	0.0129 mg/L 86% 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 Joplin

Supplier	Population served
MO AMERICAN JOPLIN	73,728
REDINGS MILL PWS	163
BIG VALLEY PARK MHP	158
TIMBERLOST MHP	150
PARK PLACE MHP JOPLIN	62

Frequently asked questions about Joplin tap water

Is Joplin tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 28 contaminants in the water serving Joplin. 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 Joplin?

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

What contaminants are in Joplin's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Joplin include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, Barium. 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.