City of Tacoma Water Division
EPA ID: WA5386800 · 448,771 people served · 54 ZIP codes
Where compliant utilities carry no open actions, City of Tacoma Water Division shows 1 active EPA violation in the federal database for a service population of approximately 448,771.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for City of Tacoma Water Division Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade A
Service Area Demographics
The City of Tacoma Water Division serves a community with a median household income of $97,553 and an estimated 808,366 residents across its service area. Approximately 54% 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.
About 2% of homes in King County, Washington rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 80th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How City of Tacoma Water Division compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Lead at 1 mg/L (action level) exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.015 mg/L (action level). Brain damage in children, kidney & blood pressure in adults. Consider reverse osmosis filtration.
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.06 mg/L. Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 122 detections recorded. 26 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).
Lead was detected in this water system. reverse osmosis filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →Comparable Water Systems
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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 448,771 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 54 ZIP codes across 13 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: A (93/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2024 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Monitoring | Unresolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | Inorganic | 1 | No |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98385 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98401 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98402 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98403 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98404 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98405 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98406 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98407 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98408 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98409 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98411 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98412 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98413 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98415 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98416 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98417 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98418 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98419 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98421 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 98422 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 34 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 20 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.
This system serves 54 ZIP codes:
98023 · 98321 · 98338 · 98360 · 98371 98372 · 98373 · 98374 · 98375 · 98385 98387 · 98390 · 98391 · 98401 · 98402 98403 · 98404 · 98405 · 98406 · 98407 98408 · 98409 · 98411 · 98412 · 98413 98415 · 98416 · 98417 · 98418 · 98419 98421 · 98422 · 98424 · 98431 · 98433 98438 · 98442 · 98443 · 98444 · 98445 98446 · 98447 · 98448 · 98455 · 98460 98464 · 98465 · 98466 · 98467 · 98471 98481 · 98490 · 98493 · 98499
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for City of Tacoma Water Division (WA5386800) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Tacoma Water Division water safe to drink?
City of Tacoma Water Division has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.
How many people does City of Tacoma Water Division serve?
City of Tacoma Water Division serves approximately 448,771 people across 54 ZIP codes in Washington.
Where does City of Tacoma Water Division 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.
Contact information from Tacoma Water 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: Tacoma Water Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
Tacoma Water draws most water from the Green River in South King County, a 231-square-mile forested watershed. Seven wells on the North Fork supplement when Green River water is turbid. More than 20 additional groundwater wells meet peak summer demand. The utility owns approximately 11 percent of the watershed and limits access and activities through agreements with other landowners.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
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.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Tacoma Water 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: 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.
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 →
PFAS Substances Detected in This System
This water system's Consumer Confidence Report disclosed the following PFAS compounds. Levels are from the utility's most recent reporting cycle.
In April 2024, EPA finalized the first National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS. Public water systems have until 2029 to comply. EPA — PFAS regulation overview →
Source: Consumer Confidence Report disclosed by Tacoma Water.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. PFAS detection data is sourced from public Consumer Confidence Reports filed by the utility itself.
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
This system reports zero confirmed lead service lines in its inventory. Unknown-material counts may still warrant verification.
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
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.
Notable events and violations
This section summarizes events the utility chose to disclose in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report, plus any federal compliance violations the utility recorded against itself. Both lists are utility-authored — ZipCheckup does not audit, judge, or reorder them.
Notable events from the utility's CCR
These bullet entries are the utility's own narration of operational, regulatory, or infrastructure events during the reporting period.
- In 2024, Tacoma Water completed its first unidirectional water main swabbing project over two days for sediment removal, with plans to continue this strategy for historic sediment management.
- New five-million-gallon welded steel water storage tank and pump station commissioned December 2024 in the Pinnacle Ridge neighborhood of the Tehaleh community in Bonney Lake.
- Arsenic detected at low levels (up to 1.7 ppb, below 10 ppb MCL); drinking water meets EPA revised standard but contains naturally occurring arsenic.
ZipCheckup note: items above reflect what the utility published in its most recent CCR. Federal violation records are also tracked separately by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) — the SDWIS record is the authoritative federal source for any specific regulatory action.
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
City of Tacoma Water Division (EPA ID: WA5386800) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.