Water System Report CO

City of Rocky Ford

EPA ID: CO0145600 ยท 4,443 people served ยท 2 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for City of Rocky Ford (CO0145600): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Zero violations in five consecutive years of EPA monitoring - City of Rocky Ford has held a clean track record across every reporting cycle in that span, with no enforcement activity of any kind on file for the full service population of 4,443 residents.

Data: EPA SDWIS

4,443
People Served
2
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
Zone 1
Radon Risk ยท High
0
Contaminants Flagged
$160K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for City of Rocky Ford Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary

Service Area Demographics

$54,051
Median Household Income
15,364
Service Area Population
86%
Disadvantaged Population
80th
Poverty Percentile
70th
Energy Burden Percentile
83%
Pre-1986 Housing

The City of Rocky Ford serves a community with a median household income of $54,051 and an estimated 15,364 residents across its service area. Approximately 83% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 86% 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.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

City of Rocky Ford'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.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
80th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
10th
Superfund Site Proximity

Wastewater Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 80th percentile nationally for proximity to wastewater discharge points.

Infrastructure Risk

65 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Pipe Material
4 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Accelerating Decay
Decay Status
Installed 94% of expected lifespan used End of life

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 3 detections recorded. 1 exceeds federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).

State limits: PFOA: 0.07 ppt, PFOS: 0.07 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Colorado

City of Glendale
4,400 people
1 violation
Frisco Town of
4,495 people
13 violations
Menoken Water District
4,500 people
C 0 violations
Elizabeth Town of
4,523 people
0 violations
Mid Valley Md
4,588 people
C 0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Radon Mitigation Flood Insurance Water Filtration PFAS Treatment
Radon Mitigation $1,200
Flood Insurance $1,200
Water Filtration $600
PFAS Treatment $300
Total Estimated Cost $3,300

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.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $3,300 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

City of Rocky Ford (EPA ID: CO0145600) is a community water system in Colorado that serves approximately 4,443 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 2 ZIP codes across 2 communities.

Violation History

No accepted violation records in the 2021-2026 window - The accepted EPA ECHO 2026Q2 snapshot contains zero violation records for this system whose record year falls from 2021 through 2026, inclusive. This is not a tap-water safety guarantee.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0 mg/L No N/A

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

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High 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 $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking โ€” this helps flush lead from your pipes.

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 CO 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 the full compliance record for City of Rocky Ford (CO0145600) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Rocky Ford water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for City of Rocky Ford in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.

How many people does City of Rocky Ford serve?

City of Rocky Ford serves approximately 4,443 people across 2 ZIP codes in Colorado.

Where does City of Rocky Ford 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.

Samples collected
58
Detections
5
Latest sample
9/9/2025
Highest analyte
PFBS: 8.5 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFBS 8.5 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFHxS 6 ppt 10 ppt Below current MCL
PFOS 4.1 ppt 10 ppt Above 2029 federal 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) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

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

Should I use a water filter?
City of Rocky Ford meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does City of Rocky Ford serve?
City of Rocky Ford serves approximately 4,443 people with drinking water across 2 ZIP codes.
What is City of Rocky Ford's water source?
City of Rocky Ford draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of City of Rocky Ford's service area?
The City of Rocky Ford service area has a median household income of $54,051. EPA EJScreen data classifies 86% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does City of Rocky Ford get its water?
City of Rocky Ford'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. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). City of Rocky Ford Water Quality Report, CO. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/co0145600/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-co0145600,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{City of Rocky Ford Water Quality Report, CO}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/co0145600/}
}
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