Water System Report WA

City of Spokane

EPA ID: WA5383100 · 346,138 people served · 19 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for City of Spokane (WA5383100): no drinking-water violations recorded since 2021. Water monitoring for City of Spokane: no violations on record, 346,138 residents.

Data: EPA SDWIS

D · 48
Avg Safety Score
346,138
People Served
19
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (since 2021)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.002 mg/L
Most recent lead 90th percentile on record (monitoring period ending 2024-12-31)
Zone 1
County Radon Potential · High
0
Contaminants Flagged
$374K
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

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

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

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$75,254
Median Household Income
360,073
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
32%
Disadvantaged Population
51th
Poverty Percentile
43th
Energy Burden Percentile
56%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with City of Spokane have a median household income of $75,254 and about 360,073 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 56% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: On average, 32% of census tracts in the counties mapped to this service area are designated disadvantaged by the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST, 2022 version). Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

City of Spokane's water is classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. 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
28th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
75th
Superfund Site Proximity

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 75th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites. Groundwater sources near contaminated sites may face elevated risk from industrial chemicals.

Infrastructure Risk

50 yr
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
Copper
Likely pipe material (modeled)
22 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 69% 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. 72 detections recorded. 18 detections are above the level of a federal PFAS MCL (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS), with compliance required from 2029.

State PFAS values in our reference data (state action level (not an enforceable limit)); check current state rules: PFOA: 4 ppt, PFOS: 4 ppt, PFHxS: 10 ppt, PFNA: 10 ppt, HFPO-DA: 10 ppt
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 →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Washington

City of Bellevue
321,349 people
A 0 violations
City of Vancouver
373,047 people
D 0 violations
A 0 violations
Alderwood Water District
245,715 people
A 0 violations
A 1 violation

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

PFAS Treatment Lead Pipe Replacement
PFAS Treatment $506
Lead Pipe Replacement $173
Total Estimated Cost $679

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 $679 (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

City of Spokane (EPA ID: WA5383100) is a community water system in Washington that serves approximately 346,138 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 19 ZIP codes across 8 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: D (48/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 11 of 19 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
0.002 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

18 of 19 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 1. 1 of 19 ZIP records with known zones is 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 WA 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 City of Spokane (WA5383100) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Spokane water safe to drink?

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

City of Spokane serves approximately 346,138 people across 19 ZIP codes in Washington.

Where does City of Spokane get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

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
348
Detections
4
Latest sample
2/20/2024
Highest analyte
PFOS: 6.1 ppt
Analyte Max detected EPA MCL (compliance required from 2029) Status
PFOS 6.1 ppt 4 ppt Above EPA MCL value (compliance required from 2029)
PFBS 3.9 ppt No federal MCL —
PFHxA 3.5 ppt No federal MCL —
PFPeA 3.3 ppt No federal MCL —

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) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from City of Spokane safe to drink? ▼
City of Spokane has 0 recorded violations since 2021. The D 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 City of Spokane; 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 City of Spokane serve? ▼
City of Spokane serves approximately 346,138 people with drinking water across 19 ZIP codes.
What is City of Spokane's water source? ▼
City of Spokane draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in City of Spokane's water? ▼
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result on record is 0.002 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 City of Spokane? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to City of Spokane have a median household income of $75,254 (Census ZIP-code estimate). In CEJST data, 32% of census tracts in the counties mapped to this area are designated disadvantaged (average across mapped ZIP codes), which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does City of Spokane get its water? ▼
City of Spokane's water is classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. 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 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.). City of Spokane, WA: Serves 346K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/wa5383100/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-wa5383100,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{City of Spokane, WA: Serves 346K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/wa5383100/}
}

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 Spokane (EPA ID: WA5383100) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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