City of Safford
EPA ID: AZ0405005 · 20,600 people served · 4 ZIP codes
ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for City of Safford (AZ0405005): 1 violation recorded with unresolved status in the SDWIS data used. Federal data lists 1 violation as unresolved at City of Safford - roughly 20,600 residents in the service area.
Data: EPA SDWIS
Service Area Map
Coverage area for City of Safford Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary
Demographics of ZIP Codes Served
The ZIP codes associated with City of Safford have a median household income of $78,022 and about 28,043 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 58% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: On average, 44% of census tracts in the counties mapped to this service area are designated disadvantaged by the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST, 2022 version). 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 classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. 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.
Wastewater Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to wastewater discharge points.
Infrastructure Risk
PFAS in ZIP Codes This System Serves
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been reported in samples from water systems associated with the ZIP codes in this system's area. These results can come from other water systems serving the same ZIP codes; check the UCMR5 section for any results reported for this system. 6 detections recorded.
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 4 ZIP codes across 4 communities.
Violation History
Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 8 resolved, 0 archived, 0 addressed, and 1 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2, 2025 | Public Notice | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| November 10, 2024 | Groundwater Rule | Health-based | Unaddressed (current) |
| September 22, 2024 | Public Notice | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| February 1, 2024 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2024 | Nitrate | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| October 1, 2023 | Nitrate | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| October 1, 2023 | TTHM | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| October 1, 2023 | Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| May 1, 2023 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Non-health-based | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| Public Notice | Other (notice or report rule) | 2 | No |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Monitoring & Reporting | 1 | No |
| TTHM | Monitoring & Reporting | 1 | No |
| Groundwater Rule | Other Violation | 1 | Yes |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:
| Lead Level | Exceeds Action Level | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0011 mg/L | No | 2023-12-31 |
No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.
Radon Risk in Service Area
4 of 4 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 2.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by AZ or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for City of Safford (AZ0405005) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Safford water safe to drink?
The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows 1 current health-based noncompliance record for City of Safford. Review the utility's current notices and EPA record. This system-level compliance history cannot determine conditions at a specific tap.
How many people does City of Safford serve?
City of Safford serves approximately 20,600 people across 4 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; the table compares each one with the EPA MCL where one exists (April 2024 rule, compliance required from 2029) and with this state's enforceable standard where one exists.
EPA's April 2024 PFAS rule sets MCLs of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX); water systems must comply from 2029. Other PFAS compounds have no individual federal MCL. A state standard is shown only where this system's state has its own enforceable PFAS limit. Detection results are EPA UCMR5 samples, not a measurement at your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
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.
- #100 / 100 Most Unresolved Health Violations (U.S.)
- #24 / 50 Most Disadvantaged Populations Served (Arizona)
- #10 / 50 Highest Exposure Burden (Arizona)
Frequently Asked Questions
How to cite this page
ZipCheckup. (n.d.). City of Safford (AZ): 1 Health Violation. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/az0405005/
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-az0405005,
author = {{ZipCheckup}},
title = {{City of Safford (AZ): 1 Health Violation}},
year = {n.d.},
url = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/az0405005/}
}
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.