States ›Arizona ›Gila County ›Payson

Payson, AZ Tap Water Quality 2026

Water quality report for Payson, AZ — PFAS, lead and copper results, violation history and state inspection findings from EPA SDWIS.

A look at Payson's drinking water using EPA enforcement records: violations, lead and copper results, PFAS sampling and state inspection findings.

Main Utility: Payson Town Of PWSID: AZ0404032 Updated: 2026 Q2
⚠️

PFAS above the federal limit at 13 of 25 sampling points

Lead is 3.50 ppb, 23% of the action level and no violations are open. However, PFAS exceeds the federal limit at 13 of 25 sampling points, running as high as 9.93 times the limit.

C

Payson earns a C for water quality

Graded on violations, lead, and PFAS, with state inspection findings.

Lead: 3.50 ppb — 23% of the federal action level
PFAS above the federal limit at 13 of 25 sampling points
95 violations since 2015, 0 health-based
No violations currently open
Payson's lead level vs. all Arizona community water systems
0 ppb5 ppb10 ppb15 ppb
Lead level: 3.50 ppb — 23% of the federal action level
✓ Lower lead than 30% of Arizona utilities
Population Served
16228
~7688 connections
Water Source
Groundwater
Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW
Active Violations
0
95 since 2015, all resolved

Lead & Copper Testing

Lead (Pb)
90th percentile of tap samples collected across the distribution system
23% of EPA action level
3.50 ppb
Action level: 15 ppb
The 90th-percentile lead result is 3.50 ppb, 23% of the 15 ppb federal action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and it is measured across sampled taps rather than at any single home.

Contaminant Violations (2015–Present)

ContaminantTypeMeasuredLimitPeriodStatus
Lead and Copper Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — TT 2025 Resolved
Public Notice OTHER — — 2023 Resolved
Revised Total Coliform Rule REPORTING FAILURE — — 2021 Resolved
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2020 Resolved
Surface Water Treatment Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2020 Resolved
Endrin MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
BHC-GAMMA MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Methoxychlor MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.04 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Toxaphene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.003 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Dalapon MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.2 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Diquat MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.02 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Endothall MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.1 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Glyphosate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.7 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.4 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
OXAMYL MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.2 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Simazine MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.004 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.006 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Picloram MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.5 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Dinoseb MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.007 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.05 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Carbofuran MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.04 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Atrazine MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.003 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
LASSO MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2019–2021 Resolved
2,3,7,8-TCDD MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.00000003 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Heptachlor MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0004 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Heptachlor epoxide MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
2,4-D MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.07 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
2,4,5-TP MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.05 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
HEXACHLOROBENZENE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.001 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Benzo(a)pyrene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Pentachlorophenol MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.001 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.00005 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Chlordane MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Endrin MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
BHC-GAMMA MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Methoxychlor MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.04 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Toxaphene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.003 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Dalapon MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.2 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Diquat MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.02 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Endothall MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.1 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Glyphosate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.7 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.4 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
OXAMYL MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.2 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Simazine MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.004 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.006 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Picloram MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.5 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Dinoseb MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.007 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.05 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Carbofuran MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.04 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Atrazine MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.003 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
LASSO MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2019–2021 Resolved
2,3,7,8-TCDD MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.00000003 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Heptachlor MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0004 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Heptachlor epoxide MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
2,4-D MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.07 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
2,4,5-TP MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.05 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
HEXACHLOROBENZENE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.001 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Benzo(a)pyrene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Pentachlorophenol MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.001 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.00005 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Chlordane MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Endrin MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
BHC-GAMMA MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Methoxychlor MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.04 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Toxaphene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.003 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Dalapon MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.2 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Diquat MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.02 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Endothall MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.1 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Glyphosate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.7 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.4 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
OXAMYL MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.2 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Simazine MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.004 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.006 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Picloram MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.5 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Dinoseb MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.007 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.05 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Carbofuran MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.04 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Atrazine MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.003 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
LASSO MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2019–2021 Resolved
2,3,7,8-TCDD MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.00000003 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Heptachlor MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0004 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Heptachlor epoxide MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
2,4-D MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.07 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
2,4,5-TP MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.05 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
HEXACHLOROBENZENE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.001 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Benzo(a)pyrene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Pentachlorophenol MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.001 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.00005 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Chlordane MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2019–2021 Resolved
Tetrachloroethylene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.005 mg/L 2018 Resolved
Tetrachloroethylene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.005 mg/L 2018 Resolved
Nitrate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 10 mg/L 2017 Resolved
Understanding violation types MCL violations mean a contaminant exceeded the federal maximum limit — the most serious type.
TT (Treatment Technique) violations mean required treatment procedures weren't followed, but don't necessarily mean contamination occurred.

Violation History

95 violations are on record since 2015, of which 0 were health-based. All have been resolved and none remain open.

About the Main Water System

Utility Payson Town Of
PWSID AZ0404032
Water source Groundwater — Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW
Population served 16,228
Service connections 7,688
Systems serving this area 3
Regulator State primacy agency
Data through 2026 Q2 — EPA SDWIS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Payson tap water safe to drink? ▼
It meets most federal standards, but PFAS exceeds the federal limit at 13 of 25 sampling points. No violations are currently open. Lead is 3.50 ppb, 23% of the action level.
Does Payson water have PFAS? ▼
Yes. PFAS exceeds the federal limit at 13 of 25 sampling points, running as high as 9.93 times the limit. Limits are enforced on a running annual average at each sampling point, not on a single sample.
Who supplies water to Payson? ▼
Payson Town Of (PWSID AZ0404032), one of 3 systems serving this area. Groundwater. Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW
When was this system last inspected? ▼
It was last inspected on 2026-02-26. No significant deficiencies were recorded.

What Should Payson Residents Do?

1
Consider a reverse-osmosis filter
Reverse osmosis removes more than 95% of PFAS. Standard carbon pitchers do not.
2
Check for a lead service line
Lead reaches tap water mainly through service lines and household plumbing. Suppliers now publish an inventory identifying lead lines.
3
Flush before drinking
If water has sat in pipes more than six hours, run the cold tap for two minutes before drinking or cooking.

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