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Not health advice. Contact your local water utility for concerns.
Data from EPA Water Quality Reports. For official information, contact your water utility or health department.
EPA records for SITKA • Updated September 2026
Grade A — based on EPA compliance records, lead testing and PFAS monitoring
SITKA has a clean recent record: no health-based violations in the last five years and no lead, PFAS or historical monitoring result that costs it more than a few points.
Yes — by EPA's records, Sitka's tap water earns a A: no health-based violations in five years, lead at 8.3 ppb (90th percentile) and no PFAS detected. Lead from home plumbing is the main remaining risk.
By EPA's records, yes. SITKA earns a A: no health-based violations in the last five years, a lead 90th-percentile result of 8.3 ppb, and no PFAS detected in UCMR5 sampling. Lead from your own plumbing is the main risk city data cannot see.
SITKA's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31) was 8.3 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 116 UCMR5 PFAS results for SITKA (2025-02-05 to 2026-01-13) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
SITKA has 3 violations on file since 2016: 0 health-based in the last five years and 0 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
SITKA reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 9,448 people (EPA PWSID AK2130075).
Optional but sensible. The findings on this page are below federal limits; an NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter handles lead and improves taste.
Want to know what's really in your Sitka tap water?
Lead was found at 8.3 ppb (90th percentile) in Sitka's latest tap sampling — below the action level, but there is no safe level of lead.
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SITKA · SDWIS records since 2016 · 5-year window starts 2021-09-07
EPA records no health-based violations for this system in the last five years. Older health-based violations (since 2016) are listed below for context.
| Violation | Category | Compliance period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treatment Technique (SWTR and GWR)Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment technique | 2018-11-01 → 2018-11-30 | Resolvedreturned 2018-11-30 |
| Treatment Technique (SWTR and GWR)Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment technique | 2017-10-01 → 2017-10-31 | Resolvedreturned 2017-10-31 |
| Treatment Technique (SWTR and GWR)Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment technique | 2016-09-01 → 2016-09-30 | Resolvedreturned 2016-09-30 |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_VIOLATIONS_ENFORCEMENT.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile results reported by SITKA
Below the action level, but detectable. In the most recent monitoring period on file (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31), 90% of the homes SITKA sampled had lead at or below 8.3 ppb.
EPA's action level is 15 ppb (dropping to 10 ppb under the 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements). There is no safe level of lead; the 90th-percentile figure describes the system, not your tap — homes with lead service lines or pre-1986 plumbing can be higher.
| Monitoring period | Lead 90th percentile | vs 15 ppb action level |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 → 2026-12-31 | 8.3 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2025-01-01 → 2025-06-30 | 14 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2024-07-01 → 2024-12-31 | 13 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2024-01-01 → 2024-06-30 | 19 ppb | Above the 15 ppb action level |
| 2021-01-01 → 2023-12-31 | 33 ppb | Above the 15 ppb action level |
| 2018-01-01 → 2020-12-31 | 5.4 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2015-01-01 → 2017-12-31 | 6.86 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2014-01-01 → 2014-12-31 | 11.5 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2013-01-01 → 2013-12-31 | 10.9 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2012-01-01 → 2012-06-30 | 15.27 ppb | Above the 15 ppb action level |
| 2009-01-01 → 2011-12-31 | 37.77 ppb | Above the 15 ppb action level |
| 2011-07-01 → 2011-12-31 | 12.26 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
Copper 90th percentile: 2.35 mg/L (1992-07-01 → 1992-12-31); action level 1.3 mg/L.
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_LCR_SAMPLES.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA UCMR5 monitoring, 2025-02-05 to 2026-01-13 · 116 PFAS results at entry points to the distribution system
No PFAS detected. None of the 116 UCMR5 PFAS results for SITKA were at or above the method reporting limit. Reporting limits are about 3–5 ppt, so “not detected” means below that threshold — not proven zero.
| Compound | Detects / samples | Max (ppt) | Reporting limit | EPA MCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 0 / 4 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS | 0 / 4 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS | 0 / 4 | < 3 | 3 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFNA | 0 / 4 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA | 0 / 4 | < 5 | 5 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFBS | 0 / 4 | < 3 | 3 ppt | hazard index only |
“< 4 ppt” means below the laboratory reporting limit, not zero. ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). Results are for finished water leaving the treatment plant.
What PFAS are and how to remove them →
Source: UCMR5 occurrence data, EPA Data Summary July 2026 (UCMR5_All.txt)
EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance samples for SITKA · finished water only · dated data, released 2024
These are the regulated-contaminant samples SITKA reported to its state between 2012 and 2019 — the most recent nationwide sample-level dataset EPA has published. Every scored contaminant stayed within its Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) and averaged below 80% of the limit. Treat this as history, not today's tap water.
| Contaminant | Samples | Average | Max | EPA limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | 10 detects | 0 µg/L | ND | 10 µg/LMCL | Not detected |
| Fluoride | 1 | 0.459 mg/L | 0.459 mg/L | 4 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Chromium (total) | 10 detects | 0 µg/L | ND | 100 µg/LMCL | Not detected |
| Radium-226/228 | 1 | 0.35 pCi/L | 0.35 pCi/L | 5 pCi/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) | 77 | 18.134 µg/L | 39.4 µg/L | 80 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) | 73 | 23.704 µg/L | 38 µg/L | 60 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
| Lead (tap samples) | 10189 detects | 4.464 µg/L | 65.7 µg/L | 15 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
| Copper (tap samples) | 101 | 252.499 µg/L | 1050 µg/L | 1300 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
Averages count non-detects as zero. TTHM and HAA5 limits are locational running annual averages, so a single high sample is not a violation — we grade those on the average only. Lead and copper rows are individual tap samples and are shown for context; compliance (and our score) uses the 90th-percentile result above. LRAA = locational running annual average; ND = not detected.
Source: SYR4 Six-Year Review compliance monitoring data 2012–2019 (released 2024-03)
SITKA · 3,180 service lines inventoried · Q2 2026 snapshot
SITKA reports no lead or galvanized-requiring-replacement service lines and has classified 100% of its 3,180 lines as non-lead. Lead can still come from pre-1986 plumbing and fixtures inside a home.
Source: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory (Q2 2026) · PWS ID AK2130075 · See all Alaska lead service lines. We may earn a commission from filters and test kits, at no extra cost to you.
Surface-water systems draw from rivers, lakes or reservoirs and must filter and disinfect, which is why disinfection byproducts (TTHM, HAA5) are the readings to watch.
How to test your tap water and the treatment options that actually fit Sitka homes
The most reliable way to know what is actually coming out of your tap is a certified mail-in lab test. City-wide EPA data (like the report above) reflects the water leaving the treatment plant, but contaminants such as lead and copper can be picked up from your own service line and household plumbing — so the water at your Sitka faucet can differ from the system average. A state-certified lab measures dozens of contaminants at once with results you can trust; you can also find one near you through the EPA's certified-lab list at epa.gov/dwlabcert. Hardware-store test strips are cheaper and instant, but they only screen for a few basics (chlorine, hardness, pH, and a rough lead pass/fail) and are far less accurate — treat them as a first look, not a diagnosis.
Match the treatment to what your test finds. Reverse osmosis (RO) removes the widest range of contaminants — lead, arsenic, nitrate, PFAS, and dissolved solids — which makes an under-sink reverse osmosis system the most thorough choice for Sitka households with heavy-metal or PFAS concerns. If your main issue is taste, odor, or chlorine, an activated carbon filter (pitcher, faucet, or under-sink) is simpler and cheaper and handles chlorine and many organic compounds well, though carbon alone does not remove arsenic, nitrate, or most PFAS. NSF-certified pitchers rated for lead reduction are the easiest way to start today while you decide on a permanent setup.
We may earn a commission from testing kits and filters purchased through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sitka ranks #3 of 10 graded Alaska cities.
By EPA's records, yes. SITKA earns a A: no health-based violations in the last five years, a lead 90th-percentile result of 8.3 ppb, and no PFAS detected in UCMR5 sampling. Lead from your own plumbing is the main risk city data cannot see.
SITKA's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31) was 8.3 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 116 UCMR5 PFAS results for SITKA (2025-02-05 to 2026-01-13) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
SITKA has 3 violations on file since 2016: 0 health-based in the last five years and 0 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
SITKA reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 9,448 people (EPA PWSID AK2130075).
Optional but sensible. The findings on this page are below federal limits; an NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter handles lead and improves taste.
Lead was found at 8.3 ppb (90th percentile) in Sitka's latest tap sampling — below the action level, but there is no safe level of lead.
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