Water System Report KS

City of Hays

EPA ID: KS2005111 ยท 21,040 people served ยท 1 ZIP code

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for City of Hays (KS2005111): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. City of Hays earns a clean bill from EPA monitoring - no violations in five years across a service area of 21,040 people.

Data: EPA SDWIS

21,040
People Served
1
ZIP Code Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
Zone 1
Radon Risk ยท High
0
Contaminants Flagged
$221K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary

Service Area Demographics

$58,480
Median Household Income
24,279
Service Area Population
17%
Disadvantaged Population
40th
Poverty Percentile
40th
Energy Burden Percentile
71%
Pre-1986 Housing

The City of Hays serves a community with a median household income of $58,480 and an estimated 24,279 residents across its service area. Approximately 71% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

City of Hays'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

49 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
21 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 70% 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. 4 detections recorded.

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 Kansas

City of Pittsburg
20,738 people
1 violation
City of Liberal
19,640 people
3 violations
City of Junction City
19,167 people
14 violations
City of Newton
18,433 people
0 violations
City of Gardner
23,942 people
C 0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Radon Mitigation Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment
Radon Mitigation $1,200
Flood Insurance $1,200
PFAS Treatment $500
Total Estimated Cost $2,900

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 $2,900 (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 Hays, (EPA ID: KS2005111) is a community water system in Kansas that serves approximately 21,040 people from groundwater sources.

This system serves ZIP code 67601 in Hays.

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 KS 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 Hays (KS2005111) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Hays water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for City of Hays 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 Hays serve?

City of Hays serves approximately 21,040 people across 1 ZIP code in Kansas.

Where does City of Hays 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
6
Latest sample
11/7/2023
Highest analyte
PFPeA: 10.7 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFPeA 10.7 ppt โ€” โ€”
6:2 FTS 7 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFHxA 6.1 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFBS 3.8 ppt โ€” โ€”

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 Hays 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 Hays serve?
City of Hays serves approximately 21,040 people with drinking water across 1 ZIP code.
What is City of Hays's water source?
City of Hays draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of City of Hays's service area?
The City of Hays service area has a median household income of $58,480. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does City of Hays get its water?
City of Hays'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 Hays, KS: Serves 21K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ks2005111/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ks2005111,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{City of Hays, KS: Serves 21K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ks2005111/}
}
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