Water System Report UT

Salt Lake City Water System

EPA ID: UTAH18026 ยท 383,612 people served ยท 24 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Salt Lake City Water System (UTAH18026): a UCMR5 PFAS sample above the level of an EPA PFAS MCL, which takes effect in 2029; this is not a violation. Federal SDWIS data returns no violation records for Salt Lake City Water System, the supplier serving 383,612 residents - a statement about the EPA file rather than a measurement of contaminant levels in the water.

Data: EPA SDWIS

C ยท 57
Avg Safety Score
383,612
People Served
24
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (since 2021)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.0025 mg/L
Most recent lead 90th percentile on record (monitoring period ending 2024-12-31)
Zone 2
County Radon Potential ยท Moderate
0
Contaminants Flagged
$529K
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Salt Lake City Water System Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - average Home Safety grade of mapped ZIPs: C

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$81,386
Median Household Income
547,427
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
15%
Disadvantaged Population
30th
Poverty Percentile
20th
Energy Burden Percentile
67%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with Salt Lake City Water System have a median household income of $81,386 and about 547,427 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 67% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Salt Lake City Water System'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
50th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
70th
Superfund Site Proximity

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.

Infrastructure Risk

56 yr
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
Copper
Likely pipe material (modeled)
16 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 78% of expected lifespan used (estimate) End of life

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. 97 detections recorded. 44 detections are above the level of a federal PFAS MCL (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS), with compliance required from 2029.

Health concern: Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with some cancers and with immune and developmental effects; effects differ by compound. Many PFAS break down very slowly in the environment.
Recommended filter: An activated carbon filter certified under NSF/ANSI 53 or a reverse osmosis system certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for the PFAS listed in its certification. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Utah

C 0 violations
B 0 violations
Provo City
116,288 people
B 1 violation
B 5 violations
Sandy City Water System
99,750 people
C 22 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
PFAS Treatment $600
Water Filtration $41
Total Estimated Cost $641

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

Illustrative per-household cost scenario based on stated assumptions:

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 $641 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These estimates are for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Salt Lake City Water System (EPA ID: UTAH18026) is a community water system in Utah that serves approximately 383,612 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 24 ZIP codes across 3 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: C (57/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 17 of 24 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

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
0.0025 mg/L No 2024-12-31

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

24 of 24 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 UT 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 Salt Lake City Water System (UTAH18026) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Salt Lake City Water System water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Salt Lake City Water System 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 Salt Lake City Water System serve?

Salt Lake City Water System serves approximately 383,612 people across 24 ZIP codes in Utah.

Where does Salt Lake City Water System get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Sample Above an EPA MCL Value or State Standard

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). One or more PFAS measurements were above the level of the EPA MCL for that compound (April 2024 rule, which takes effect in 2029) or above an applicable state drinking-water standard; a monitoring result above that level is not by itself a violation.

Samples collected
1508
Detections
4
Latest sample
10/2/2023
Highest analyte
PFHxS: 18.2 ppt
Analyte Max detected EPA MCL (compliance required from 2029) Status
PFHxS 18.2 ppt 10 ppt Above EPA MCL value (compliance required from 2029)
PFOS 7.1 ppt 4 ppt Above EPA MCL value (compliance required from 2029)
PFPeA 6.2 ppt No federal MCL โ€”
PFHxA 5.7 ppt No federal MCL โ€”

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) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Salt Lake City Water System safe to drink? ▼
Salt Lake City Water System has 0 recorded violations since 2021. The C shown is a ZIP-area score, not a grade for this utility; see the violation table for what was violated.
Should I use a water filter? ▼
No EPA drinking-water violations since 2021 are on record for Salt Lake City Water System; this page does not establish contaminant levels at your tap. That is a compliance record, not a guarantee about the water at your tap; a certified filter can target a specific contaminant you are concerned about.
How many people does Salt Lake City Water System serve? ▼
Salt Lake City Water System serves approximately 383,612 people with drinking water across 24 ZIP codes.
What is Salt Lake City Water System's water source? ▼
Salt Lake City Water System draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Salt Lake City Water System's water? ▼
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result on record is 0.0025 mg/L (sample period ending 2024-12-31). This is at or below the EPA lead action level, which triggers system action and is not a safe level; the EPA health goal for lead is zero.
What is the demographic profile of the ZIP codes associated with Salt Lake City Water System? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to Salt Lake City Water System have a median household income of $81,386 (Census ZIP-code estimate). Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Salt Lake City Water System get its water? ▼
Salt Lake City Water System'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 the available data, the modeled source-contamination category is moderate; test local water to assess actual exposure.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Salt Lake City Water System, UT: Serves 384K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/utah18026/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-utah18026,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Salt Lake City Water System, UT: Serves 384K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/utah18026/}
}

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 โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

Salt Lake City Water System (EPA ID: UTAH18026) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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