Is Kennewick, WA Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Kennewick'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	12900 µg/L 129% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L	12/12	SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite	7850 µg/L 79% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	7/12	SYR4
Fluoride	1000 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	12/12	SYR4
Barium	101 µg/L 5.1% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	9/12	SYR4
TTHM	93.01 µg/L 116% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L	10/12	SYR4
Chloroform	71.2 µg/L No EPA limit set	7/12	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	63.45 µg/L 106% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L	9/12	SYR4
Copper	50 µg/L 3.8% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	7/12	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	38.6 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/12	SYR4
Bromoform	34.7 µg/L No EPA limit set	10/12	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	26.9 µg/L No EPA limit set	10/12	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	26.6 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/12	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	25.3 µg/L No EPA limit set	9/12	SYR4
Combined Uranium	13 µg/L 43% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L	1/12	SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity	11.5 pCi/L No EPA limit set	3/12	SYR4
Arsenic	10.5 µg/L 105% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10 µg/L	6/12	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	10 µg/L No EPA limit set	9/12	SYR4
Lithium	9.38 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/12	UCMR-5
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate	5.26 µg/L 88% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L	1/12	SYR4
Selenium	3 µg/L 6% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L	4/12	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	2.35 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/12	SYR4
Chromium	2.26 µg/L 2.3% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	5/12	SYR4
Lead	1.61 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L	2/12	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	1.55 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/12	SYR4
Dichloromethane	0.8300 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/12	SYR4
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene	0.1950 µg/L 0.3% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L	1/12	SYR4
P-Dichlorobenzene	0.0700 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 75 µg/L	1/12	SYR4
PFOS	0.0115 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/12	UCMR-5
PFHXS	0.0106 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/12	UCMR-5
Pfpea	0.0075 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/12	UCMR-5
Pfhxa	0.0065 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/12	UCMR-5
PFBS	0.0064 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/12	UCMR-5
PFOA	0.0046 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/12	UCMR-5
Lead	0.0044 mg/L 29% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	12/12	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 Kennewick

Supplier	Population served
KENNEWICK CITY OF	118,164
BADGER MOUNTAIN IRRIGATION DISTRICT	2,331
SUMMIT VIEW WATER SYSTEM	1,869
BC WATER CO	1,262
Community Sewer and Water District	1,200
TRI-CITY WATER DISTRICT #45	300
HOMESTEAD MANUFACTURED HOUSING	300
SUNDANCE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION	100
EATON PARK SUBDIVISION	70
GOODNIGHT WATER SYSTEM	47
BADGER CANYON WATER ASSN	40
GOOD NEIGHBORS WATER ASSN	40

Frequently asked questions about Kennewick tap water

Is Kennewick tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 34 contaminants in the water serving Kennewick. 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 Kennewick?

12 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Kennewick, Washington to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Kennewick's water?

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