City of Tempe
EPA ID: AZ0407100 · 165,000 people served · 11 ZIP codes
The EPA enforcement database lists 5 active violations for City of Tempe — a provider that delivers drinking water to approximately 165,000 people and has not yet formally resolved those findings.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for City of Tempe Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade B
Service Area Demographics
The City of Tempe serves a community with a median household income of $79,084 and an estimated 345,114 residents across its service area. Approximately 54% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
City of Tempe's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.
About 1% of homes in Maricopa County, Arizona rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How City of Tempe compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Lead at 4 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 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.08 mg/L. Bladder & rectal cancer risk; reproductive concerns. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 6 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Stage 1 DBP Rule at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Lead and Copper Rule at 3 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. 52 detections recorded. 15 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 10 exceed state limits.
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 Tempe (EPA ID: AZ0407100) is a community water system in Arizona that serves approximately 165,000 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 11 ZIP codes across 3 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: B (81/100)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| January 1, 2025 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| December 20, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Health-based | Resolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| September 1, 2024 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Lead | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Monitoring | Resolved |
| June 1, 2024 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| May 1, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| February 1, 2024 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| February 1, 2024 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2024 | Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Monitoring | Resolved |
| August 1, 2023 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| August 1, 2023 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2023 | Lead | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Barium | Monitoring | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 6 | No |
| Lead | Inorganic | 4 | No |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 3 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 3 | No |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 3 | No |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | No |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | Yes |
| Barium | Inorganic | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 85280 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 85281 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 85282 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 85283 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 85284 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 85285 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 85287 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 85289 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
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: 7 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 4 additional ZIPs inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
- 85008 — Phoenix
- 85044 — Phoenix
- 85201 — Mesa
- 85280 — Tempe
- 85281 — Tempe
- 85282 — Tempe
- 85283 — Tempe
- 85284 — Tempe
- 85285 — Tempe
- 85287 — Tempe
- 85289 — Tempe
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for City of Tempe (AZ0407100) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Tempe water safe to drink?
City of Tempe has recorded 1 health-based violation 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 Tempe serve?
City of Tempe serves approximately 165,000 people across 11 ZIP codes in Arizona.
Where does City of Tempe get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from City of Tempe Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: City of Tempe Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) completed an assessment of the source waters and drinking water wells for Tempe's public water system in 2004. ADEQ categorized all surface water sources as high risk because they are open to the atmosphere. Most of Tempe's drinking water wells were designated at low risk in the ADEQ 2004 source water assessment. However, two wells were considered at high risk for possible future contamination based upon adjacent land use.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from City of Tempe Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Above Current MCL
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). One or more PFAS compounds were measured above 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 →
City records and field observations indicate that no lead service lines were used in Tempe.
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 Tempe
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.
Aesthetic water quality
These measurements describe the look, taste, and feel of the water this utility delivers. They are not contaminant violations — they sit alongside federal Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs) which the EPA publishes as non-enforceable guidance.
Aesthetic measurements from City of Tempe Consumer Confidence Report.
Aesthetic measurements are reported by the utility from its annual sampling. EPA Secondary MCLs are advisory thresholds — values outside them indicate aesthetic concerns such as taste or appearance, not health violations. Federal contaminant testing is shown in the sections above.
Hard water detected in City of Tempe
Your utility reported water hardness of 238 ppm CaCO₃ (13.9 grains per gallon) in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report. This is in the hard range and may cause scale buildup, reduced appliance lifespan, and dry skin or hair.
There are three common approaches to treating hard water: salt-based ion-exchange softeners (most effective, require salt refills), salt-free conditioners (lower maintenance, scale prevention only), and reverse osmosis at the kitchen sink (cooking and drinking water only). Aquasana, EcoWater, Pelican, and SpringWell are among the major US brands.
Paid Partner. ZipCheckup earns commission on Aquasana purchases. We do not test water or verify product effectiveness for specific hardness levels — manufacturer claims are theirs alone. Consult a certified water-quality professional for personalized advice.
Hardness data parsed from this utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report. Severity bands per USGS hard water classification.
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 Tempe (EPA ID: AZ0407100) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.