City of Safford
EPA ID: AZ0405005 · 20,600 people served · 5 ZIP codes
Compliance tracking for City of Safford shows 23 pending violations logged in the EPA system — the supplier delivers water to approximately 20,600 residents while those findings remain open.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 6 (2022) to 2 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for City of Safford Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The City of Safford serves a community with a median household income of $78,022 and an estimated 28,043 residents across its service area. Approximately 58% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 44% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.
💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?
City of Safford's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.
About 2% of homes in Graham County, Arizona rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Wastewater Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to wastewater discharge points.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How City of Safford compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Lead at 2 mg/L (action level) exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.015 mg/L (action level). Brain damage in children, kidney & blood pressure in adults. Consider reverse osmosis filtration.
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) at 4 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.08 mg/L. Bladder & rectal cancer risk; reproductive concerns. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Revised Total Coliform Rule at 33 presence exceeds the EPA maximum of presence.
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 28 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Lead and Copper Rule at 9 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 6 detections recorded.
Lead was detected in this water system. reverse osmosis filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Arizona
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.
System Overview
City of Safford (EPA ID: AZ0405005) is a community water system in Arizona that serves approximately 20,600 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 5 ZIP codes across 4 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (61/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| September 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| August 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| August 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 2, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| June 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| May 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| March 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| February 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| February 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| January 2, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| January 1, 2025 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 33 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 28 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 9 | No |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 8 | No |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 6 | Yes |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | No |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 4 | No |
| Lead | Inorganic | 2 | No |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other Violation | 1 | Yes |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 4 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 1 additional ZIP inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for City of Safford (AZ0405005) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Safford water safe to drink?
City of Safford has recorded 4 health-based violations in the past 5 years. While the system is required to treat water to meet federal standards, you may want to consider additional precautions such as a certified water filter.
How many people does City of Safford serve?
City of Safford serves approximately 20,600 people across 5 ZIP codes in Arizona.
Where does City of Safford get its water?
The primary water source is groundwater.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.
Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
PFAS Substances Detected in This System
This water system's Consumer Confidence Report disclosed the following PFAS compounds. Levels are from the utility's most recent reporting cycle.
In April 2024, EPA finalized the first National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS. Public water systems have until 2029 to comply. EPA — PFAS regulation overview →
Source: Consumer Confidence Report disclosed by City of Safford.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. PFAS detection data is sourced from public Consumer Confidence Reports filed by the utility itself.
Lead Service Line Replacement Tracker
This water utility's lead service line (LSL) replacement program is tracked from public Consumer Confidence Report filings. Email signup notifies subscribers when the utility files an updated replacement plan or progress milestone.
City of Safford
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. LSL replacement-program data is sourced from public CCR filings published by the utility. Subscription notifications are based on automated parsing of subsequent CCR releases.
Learn more about Lead and Copper Rule replacement requirements →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
This system reports zero confirmed lead service lines in its inventory. Unknown-material counts may still warrant verification.
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.
Notable events and violations
This section summarizes events the utility chose to disclose in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report, plus any federal compliance violations the utility recorded against itself. Both lists are utility-authored — ZipCheckup does not audit, judge, or reorder them.
Federal compliance violations on record
These entries are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR violations section. EPA defines four broad violation categories: Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), Treatment Technique (TT), Monitoring & Reporting (M&R), and Public Notification (PN).
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Multiple Violations2024
No description published in CCR.
Violations record from City of Safford Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup note: items above reflect what the utility published in its most recent CCR. Federal violation records are also tracked separately by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) — the SDWIS record is the authoritative federal source for any specific regulatory action.
How Water Systems Appear in Rankings
Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
City of Safford (EPA ID: AZ0405005) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.