A Message from the Environmental
Protection Agency
In the desert southwest, water resource management and planning are
important to ensure that current and future generations have an
adequate water supply. Every drop of Peoria’s drinking water is treated
using modern, state-of-the-art treatment technology. Hundreds of tests
are performed each day to be certain that your drinking water meets all
federal, state and local water quality standards.
Peoria’s conservative fiscal practices coupled with
state-of-the-art technology ensure excellent value per gallon.
Peoria has continuous access to its secure, diverse water
sources.
Dedicated, certified operations and engineering personnel
treat, test and deliver safe water, conveniently on demand.
Water conservation is a necessary way of life in the desert
southwest. Remember, Peoria has enough water to use,
but never enough to waste.™

Colorado River

the Central
57% via
Arizona Project

Peoria

Salt and Verde

via the
35% Rivers
Salt River Project

8% Well Water

To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain
contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in
bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to
contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of
contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.
More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be
obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline, 1-800-426-4791.
The sources of drinking water, both tap and bottled water, include rivers,
lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels over the
surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring
minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material and can pick up substances
resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Following are
contaminants that may be present in source water:
• Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria that may be from
sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock
operations or wildlife;
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, that can be naturally
occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or
domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or
farming;
• Pesticides and herbicides that may come from a variety of sources such
as agriculture, urban storm water runoff and residential uses;
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic
chemicals that are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum
production and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water
runoff and septic systems; and
• Radioactive contaminants that can be naturally-occurring or can be the
result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

SPECIAL HEALTH INFORMATION

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water
than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as those
undergoing chemotherapy, who have undergone organ transplants, have
HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders and some elderly and infants
can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice
from their health care providers. EPA/CDC (Centers for Disease Control)
guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants, along with more information
about contaminants and potential health effects, are available from the Safe
Drinking Water Hotline, 1-800-426-4791.

NITRATE, ARSENIC, LEAD & COPPER,
TURBIDITY AND TRIHALOMETHANES

Source Water Assessment

2024
Water Quality
Report

In 2015, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
(ADEQ) performed a source water assessment for 24 wells used by the
City. The assessment reviewed adjacent land uses that may pose a
potential risk to the wells. At the time of the assessment, one of Peoria’s
wells was labeled as ‘high risk’ for potential contamination due to an
underground storage tank (UST) on an adjacent property. The ‘high risk’
rating does not indicate poor water quality, only the potential to become
contaminated. Since the assessment, the UST has been removed. The
assessment report is available for review at ADEQ, 1110 W. Washington
St., Phoenix, AZ 85007 between the hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Electronic
copies are available from ADEQ at recordscenter@azdeq.gov.

Nitrate at levels above 10 mg/L is a health risk for infants of less than six
months of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby
syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of
rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant, you should seek
advice from your health care provider.
While your drinking water meets EPA’s standard for arsenic, it does
contain low levels. EPA’s standard balances the current understanding of
arsenic’s possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from
drinking water. EPA continues to research the health effects of low levels of
arsenic, which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems. Some people who drink water containing arsenic in excess of
the MCL over many years could experience skin damage or problems with
their circulatory system and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

The city of Peoria is responsible for providing high quality drinking water
and removing lead pipes but cannot control the variety of materials used in
plumbing components in your home. You share the responsibility for
protecting yourself and your family from the lead in your home plumbing.
You can take responsibility by identifying and removing lead materials
within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family's risk.
Before drinking tap water, flush your pipes for several minutes by running
your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes. You can also
use a filter certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited
certifier to reduce lead in drinking water.
To address lead in drinking water, public water systems were required
to develop and maintain an inventory of service line materials by Oct 16,
2024. Developing an inventory and identifying the location of lead service
lines (LSL) is the first step for beginning LSL replacement and protecting
public health. The lead service inventory may be viewed online at:
http://bit.ly/3ZFMQgg. Please contact us if you would like more information
about the inventory or any lead sampling that has been done. If you are
concerned about lead in your water and wish to have your water tested,
contact the City at Environmental@peoriaaz.gov. Information on lead in
drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize
exposure is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of water and is an indication of
the effectiveness of our filtration system. Turbidity has no health effects.
However, turbidity can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for
microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the presence of disease-causing
organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses and parasites that can
cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea and associated headaches.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) are a group of disinfection byproducts
that can form when disinfectants react with naturally-occurring organic and
inorganic matter. Some people who drink water containing TTHM in excess
of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver,
kidneys, or central nervous system and may have an increased cancer risk.

MONITORING & TESTING

The EPA’s Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2ESWTR) required Peoria and other large water systems to conduct monthly
monitoring for Cryptosporidium in their source water. In 2015, Peoria
began the 24-month LT2ESWTR source water monitoring for Cryptosporidium. The results of the monitoring have shown that no additional
treatment is required to remove the level of Cryptosporidium found.
Results range from not detected to 0.667 organisms per liter.
Cryptosporidium is a microbial pathogen found in surface water
throughout the U.S. Ingestion of Cryptosporidium may cause cryptosporidiosis, an abdominal infection. Symptoms of infection include nausea, diarrhea
and abdominal cramps. Most healthy individuals can overcome the disease
within a few weeks. However, immunocompromised people, infants and
small children and the elderly are at greater risk of developing life-threatening illness. Although filtration removes Cryptosporidium, the most
commonly-used filtration methods cannot guarantee 100 percent removal.
Our monitoring indicates, although infrequent, these organisms are present
in our source water. Current test methods do not allow us to determine if
the organisms are dead or if they are capable of causing disease.
Este informe contiene información importante sobre su agua potable. Si
usted tiene preguntas sobre este informe, por favor llame al 623-773-7561.
The information and data contained in this report apply only to those who
receive their water from the city of Peoria.There are several private water
companies that serve residents in certain areas of the city. If you receive
your water from the Sunrise, Rose Valley or EPCOR water companies, you
should contact your water supplier directly for water data that affects you:
Sunrise: 623-972-6133
Rose Valley: 623-889-2275; info@rosevalleywaterco.com
EPCOR: 800-383-0834 (Agua Fria District)
Peoria Water Services: 623-773-7160
Revised June 2025

2024 WATER QUALITY REPORT
POSSIBLE
SOURCES

04-07-096

1,2-Dibromo-3chloropropane (DBCP)*

ng/L

26 - 28

27

200

0

Alkalinity

mg/L

122 - 162

140

N/A

N/A

Arsenic*

µg/L

ND - 5.8

5.8

10

0

Barium*

mg/L

0.019 - 0.12

0.49

2

2

Bromate

µg/L

ND - 5.2

1

10

0

Chromium*

µg/L

ND - 28

11

100

100

cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene

µg/L

ND - .5

0.036

70

70

Fluoride

mg/L

0.195- 0.573

0.372

4

4

Gross Alpha****

pCi/L

1.6 - 2

1.8

N/A

N/A

Nitrate

mg/L

0.4 - 6.6

2.3

10

10

Sodium

mg/L

34 - 95

60

N/A

N/A

Tetrachloroethylene

µg/L

ND - 1

0.07

5

0

Thallium

µg/L

ND - 0.6

0.12

2

0.5

Total Organic Carbon

mg/L

2.37 - 3.37

2.99

TT

N/A

Xylenes (total)

µg/L

ND - 0.6

0.04

10,000

10,000

Total Haloacetic Acids*

µg/L

6.6 - 17

12.6

60

N/A

Total
Trihalomethanes*

µg/L

32.2 - 83.6

51.7

80

N/A

NTU

0.15
100%

N/A
N/A

TT=1 NTU
TT=% of samples
<0.3 NTU

0
0

Total Coliforms

P/A

0.00%

N/A

Fecal coliform or
E. coli bacteria

P/A

0.00%

Chlorine Residual

mg/L

ND - 2.18

Turbidity

0

N/A

5% of
monthly
samples are
positive

0.95

4

4

90th
PERCENTILE
REPORTED

NUMBER
OF SITES
ABOVE AL

ACTION
LEVEL
(AL)

AZ0407096 2024
Violations Summary

In 2024, the City had one “missed
monitoring” event due to late reporting.
All samples were collected as required.
The system was returned to compliance
upon submittal of the data. Late nitrate
data for one sample location in the 4th
Quarter of 2024 was submitted in
February 2025.

SERVICE LINE
INVENTORY
Through extensive data and records

review and visual field inspections, the
City has created an inventory of public
utility and customer service line materials.
More information about these efforts,
visit www.peoriaaz.gov/water and click
on Water Quality. Access to the latest
material classification data relevant to
your service line can be found at
http://bit.ly/3ZFMQgg

How small
are the units
used in this
chart?
One nanogram (ng)
equals:
The weight of
a single cell

0

One microgram (µg)
equals:
the weight of
a snowflake

POSSIBLE
SOURCES

Copper

mg/L

0.235

6

1.3

1.3

Lead

µg/L

<5

0

15

0

One milligram (mg)
equals:
The weight of a single
grain of salt

UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS
Unregulated Contaminant monitoring helps EPA to determine where
certain contaminants occur and whether the Agency should consider
regulating those contaminants in the future.

Lithium

µg/L

15.4 - 133

38.2

Perfluorohexanesulfonic Acid (PFHxS)

ng/L

ND - 3.7

0.25

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

µg/L

ND - 5.6

0.37

Potassium Perfluorobutane Sulfonate (PFBS)

µg/L

ND - 11.1

1.0

* MCL is based on a running annual average.
The average given is the highest average.

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Action Level - The concentration of a
contaminant that, if exceeded, triggers treatment or
other requirements that a water system must follow.

MCL

Max. Contaminant Level - The highest level
of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.
MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible
using the best available treatment technology.

MCLG

Max. Contaminant Level Goal The level of a contaminant in drinking water below
which there is no known or expected risk to health.
MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.

MRDL

Max. Residual Disinfectant Level The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in
drinking water. There is convincing evidence that
addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control
of microbial contaminants.

MRDLG

Max. Residual Disinfectant Level Goal The level of a drinking water disinfectant below
which there is no known or expected risk to health.
MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of
disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

Peoria:
www.peoriaaz.gov/envresources or 623-773-7561
USEPA: http://water.epa.gov/drink
ADEQ: www.azdeq.gov
Maricopa County: www.maricopa.gov/envsvc
Tap Into Quality: www.tapintoquality.com
Water Use It Wisely:
www.wateruseitwisely.com

LEGEND

KEY TO TABLE
AL

To learn more about water quality...

N/A

Not Applicable

ND

Not Detected

Gr/Gal

Grains per Gallon

NTU

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit - Measure of
how light is scattered by particulate matter in water.

pCi/L

Picocuries per Liter - Measure of radioactivity.

mg/L

Parts per million Unit of measurement equal to milligrams per liter.

µg/L

Parts per billion Unit of measurement equal to micrograms per liter.

ng/L

Parts per trillion Unit of measurement equal to nanograms per liter.

TT

Treatment Technique - Required process intended
to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Cryptosporidium was tested for, but not found, at
Pyramid Peak and Greenway Water Treatment Plants.

Fertiziler
runoff

By-product of
drinking water
chlorination

Leaching from
septic tanks,
sewage

Soil runoff

Water additive
used to control
microbes

Erosion of
natural deposits

Runoff from
orchards

Byproduct of
drinking water
disinfection

Human or animal
fecal waste

Naturally
present in the
environment

Manufacturing
of resins and
pharmaceuticals

Leaching from
plumbing materials
and fixtures

Associated with gasoline
and manufacturing of
polyester fibers

Associated with
dry-cleaning fabrics
and metal degreasers

The City of Peoria receives its Colorado River Water for potable use from the Pyramid
Peak Water Treatment Plant, which is owned jointly with the City of Glendale. The City of
Glendale’s 2024 Water Quality Report can be accessed at https://bit.ly/4dNLeac