City of Tacoma Water Division
EPA ID: WA5386800 · 446,170 people served · 31 ZIP codes
ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for City of Tacoma Water Division (WA5386800): no drinking-water violations recorded since 2021. Federal monitoring records show zero violations at City of Tacoma Water Division for the reporting cycles they cover, at a utility serving approximately 446,170 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS
Service Area Map
Coverage area for City of Tacoma Water Division Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary - average Home Safety grade of mapped ZIPs: A
Demographics of ZIP Codes Served
The ZIP codes associated with City of Tacoma Water Division have a median household income of $97,815 and about 679,291 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.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
City of Tacoma Water Division'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.
Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 80th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.
Infrastructure Risk
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. 95 detections recorded. 16 detections are above the level of a federal PFAS MCL (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS), with compliance required from 2029.
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Washington
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
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.
System Overview
City of Tacoma Water Division (EPA ID: WA5386800) is a community water system in Washington that serves approximately 446,170 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 31 ZIP codes across 10 communities.
ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: A (97/100)
This is the average Home Safety Score for 19 of 31 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
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:
| Lead Level | Exceeds Action Level | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|
| Below the reporting limit | No | 2025-12-31 |
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
31 of 31 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 3.
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.
This system serves 31 ZIP codes:
98023 · 98321 · 98360 · 98372 · 98373 98374 · 98375 · 98385 · 98390 · 98391 98402 · 98403 · 98404 · 98405 · 98406 98407 · 98408 · 98409 · 98416 · 98418 98421 · 98422 · 98424 · 98443 · 98444 98445 · 98446 · 98465 · 98466 · 98467 98499
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for City of Tacoma Water Division (WA5386800) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Tacoma Water Division water safe to drink?
The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for City of Tacoma Water Division 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 Tacoma Water Division serve?
City of Tacoma Water Division serves approximately 446,170 people across 31 ZIP codes in Washington.
Where does City of Tacoma Water Division get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected; the table compares each one with the EPA MCL where one exists (April 2024 rule, compliance required from 2029) and with this state's enforceable standard where one exists.
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 →
Frequently Asked Questions
How to cite this page
ZipCheckup. (n.d.). City of Tacoma Water Division, WA: Serves 446K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/wa5386800/
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