States › Alaska

Alaska Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 224 cities across Alaska — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 199 Cities covered: 224 Updated: 2026 Q2
C

Alaska earns a C for overall water quality

224 communities across 30 counties and 199 water systems. 90.6% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 2.33 ppb
13.8% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 15.6% of communities; 2 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 100.0% of communities
90.6% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
199
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
2.33 ppb
16% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
90.6%
of systems — no active violations
How we grade states Grades are based on actual EPA enforcement data — MCL violations and lead levels measured against the 15 ppb federal action level. We do not use MCLG-based detections, which are aspirational zero-tolerance goals that would make nearly every state look dangerous. Read our full methodology →

Best & Worst Cities in Alaska

✓ Cleanest Water
Hope
Kenai Peninsula Borough
2.3 ppb B
Homer
Kenai Peninsula Borough
2.0 ppb A
Mentasta Lake
Copper River Census Area
1.0 ppb B
Togiak
Dillingham Census Area
1.1 ppb B
Valdez
Chugach Census Area
4.7 ppb A
Kachemak
Kenai Peninsula Borough
2.0 ppb A
⚠ Needs Attention
Rampart
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area
3.4 ppb F
Grayling
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area
2.0 ppb F
Crooked Creek
Bethel Census Area
6.5 ppb F
Galena
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area
3.6 ppb F
Mountain Village
Kusilvak Census Area
1.5 ppb F
Atmautluak
Bethel Census Area
7.6 ppb F

Water Quality by County

30 of 30
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
Bethel Census Area 23 5.0 ppb 0 C
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area 22 2.3 ppb 0 C
Kenai Peninsula Borough 22 2.3 ppb 0 B
Matanuska-Susitna Borough 15 2.3 ppb 0 A
Nome Census Area 14 2.4 ppb 0 C
Fairbanks North Star Borough 14 1.0 ppb 0 C
Kusilvak Census Area 13 1.7 ppb 0 C
Northwest Arctic Borough 11 2.1 ppb 0 C
Kodiak Island Borough 10 3.9 ppb 0 B
Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area 10 3.1 ppb 0 C

About Alaska Drinking Water

Alaska is served by 199 community water systems covering 224 communities across 30 counties. 90.6% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 193 communities, with a median of 2.33 ppb — 16% of the federal action level. A further 31 reported none detected. That share is a state reporting convention rather than a measure of water quality, so it is stated separately rather than averaged in.

PFAS has been tested at 15.6% of communities here, and 2 are above the limits EPA set in 2024. Coverage matters: states that test more find more, so this figure is not comparable with a state that has tested less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Alaska tap water safe to drink? ▼
90.6% of communities have no open violation on record. 2 have PFAS above the federal limit set in 2024, which is the main open concern.
Does Alaska have a lead problem? ▼
4 water systems report a 90th-percentile lead result at or above the 15 ppb action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and 31 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for Alaska? ▼
Lead results are reported for 100.0% of communities and PFAS for 15.6%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does Alaska compare with other states? ▼
We do not rank states against each other. Lead reporting completeness ranges from under 20% to 100% depending on the state, so a national ranking would compare filing practice rather than water quality.