Water System Report ND

City of Bismarck

EPA ID: ND0800080 · 72,417 people served · 10 ZIP codes

Across every monitored period in the past five years, City of Bismarck reported no EPA violations for its service population of 72,417.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

D · 53
Avg Safety Score
72,417
People Served
10
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.0084 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 1
Radon Risk · High
0
Contaminants Flagged
$294K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary — Grade D

Service Area Demographics

$103,125
Median Household Income
97,278
Service Area Population
10%
Disadvantaged Population
37th
Poverty Percentile
29th
Energy Burden Percentile
56%
Pre-1986 Housing

The City of Bismarck serves a community with a median household income of $103,125 and an estimated 97,278 residents across its service area. Approximately 56% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

City of Bismarck'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.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
46th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
0th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 1% of homes in Burleigh County, North Dakota rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.

Infrastructure Risk

46 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Unknown
Pipe Material
22 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 68% 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. 2 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 →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in North Dakota

Grand Forks Regional Wtp
57,339 people
C 0 violations
City of Minot
48,743 people
D 2 violations
City of West Fargo
34,858 people
D 0 violations
City of Williston
26,426 people
C 2 violations
City of Dickinson
25,679 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 $540
PFAS Treatment $100
Total Estimated Cost $1,840

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 $1,840 (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 Bismarck (EPA ID: ND0800080) is a community water system in North Dakota that serves approximately 72,417 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 10 ZIP codes across 4 communities.

Average Home Safety Score: D (53/100)

Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.

Violation History

No violations recorded — This water system has no recorded EPA violations in the past 5 years.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:

ZIP Code Lead Level Exceeds Limit Sample Date
58501 0.0084 mg/L No N/A
58502 0.0084 mg/L No N/A
58503 0.0084 mg/L No N/A
58504 0.0084 mg/L No N/A
58505 0.0084 mg/L No N/A
58506 0.0084 mg/L No N/A
58507 0.0084 mg/L No N/A

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 $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

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

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: 5 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 5 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.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for City of Bismarck (ND0800080) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Bismarck water safe to drink?

Based on EPA records, City of Bismarck has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.

How many people does City of Bismarck serve?

City of Bismarck serves approximately 72,417 people across 10 ZIP codes in North Dakota.

Where does City of Bismarck 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.

Phone
(701)355-1700
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.
Address
601 S 26th Street

Contact information from City of Bismarck 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
Groundwater
Drawn from underground aquifers via wells.
Disinfectant used
Chloramines
Treatment chemicals reported
fluoride

Source: City of Bismarck Consumer Confidence Report.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.

Source water assessment from City of Bismarck Consumer Confidence Report:
Based on the information from these elements, the ND Department of Environmental Quality has determined that our source water is moderately susceptible to potential contaminants.

Treatment regime

How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.

Treatment classification
Standard
Disinfection plus one or more treatment additives — typically corrosion control, pH adjustment, or fluoridation. Standard regime for utilities serving treated municipal water.

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.

Fluoridation
Added at low levels per state or local public-health policy for dental health.
fluoride

Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from City of Bismarck 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: Tested Clean

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.

Samples collected
91

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 →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

Lead Service Line Inventory

Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:

162
Confirmed Lead
13
Galvanized — Replacement Required
5,064
Unknown Material
16,938
Confirmed Non-Lead

Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Reported all required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2022-01-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Population served: 72,417
Reported to North Dakota

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.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

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.

pH
9.17
How acidic or basic the water is on a 0-14 scale. Drinking water is typically near neutral.
EPA secondary range: 6.5 – 8.5
Fluoride
0.74 ppm
Utility adds fluoride
Measured fluoride concentration in parts per million.
EPA secondary MCL: 2.0 ppm
Alkalinity
66 ppm CaCO₃
Capacity of the water to neutralize acids, expressed as calcium carbonate equivalent.

Aesthetic measurements from City of Bismarck 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 Bismarck

Your utility reported water hardness of 125 ppm CaCO₃ (7.3 grains per gallon) in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report. This is in the moderately hard range and may cause scale buildup, reduced appliance lifespan, and dry skin or hair.

Solutions for hard water

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.

Recommended Aquasana system for your hardness level

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.

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

Is water from City of Bismarck safe to drink?
City of Bismarck has a D safety grade based on 0 recorded violations. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits — independent testing is recommended.
Should I use a water filter?
City of Bismarck 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 Bismarck serve?
City of Bismarck serves approximately 72,417 people with drinking water across 10 ZIP codes.
What is City of Bismarck's water source?
City of Bismarck draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in City of Bismarck's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.0084 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of City of Bismarck's service area?
The City of Bismarck service area has a median household income of $103,125. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does City of Bismarck get its water?
City of Bismarck'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. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →

3

Contact your utility

City of Bismarck (EPA ID: ND0800080) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

Home Water Systems North Dakota City of Bismarck

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