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 ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT • Updated September 2026
Grade C — based on EPA compliance records, lead testing and PFAS monitoring
ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT has a mixed record — read the reasons below; the deductions come from real EPA violations, lead results or PFAS detections, not from a template.
Anderson's tap water grades C on EPA's records. ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT has 1 health-based violation in the last five years. PFOA or PFOS was measured at or above the 4 ppt federal limit. A certified filter matched to those issues is a sensible precaution.
Anderson grades C. EPA records 1 health-based violation for ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT in the last five years. PFOA or PFOS was measured at or above the 4 ppt federal limit. The water is legal to drink, but a certified filter matched to these findings is a reasonable precaution.
ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2023-01-01 to 2025-12-31) was 1.4 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.
Yes. EPA's UCMR5 sampling (2024-10-17 to 2025-07-14) detected PFOS, with PFOA or PFOS at or above the 4 ppt federal MCL. Reverse osmosis and certified activated-carbon filters reduce PFAS.
ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT has 5 violations on file since 2016: 1 health-based in the last five years and 2 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT reports groundwater under surface-water influence as its primary source and serves about 55,212 people (EPA PWSID IN5248002).
We recommend one. Reverse osmosis or a PFAS-certified carbon filter addresses the PFAS result.
Want to know what's really in your Anderson tap water?
PFOA or PFOS was measured at or above EPA's 4 ppt limit in Anderson's UCMR5 sampling.
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ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT · SDWIS records since 2016 · 5-year window starts 2021-09-07
EPA records 1 health-based violation for this system in the last five years, all of which are marked resolved or archived. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or a required treatment step was not met.
| Violation | Category | Compliance period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, E. coli (RTCR)Revised Total Coliform Rule | MCL exceeded | 2024-12-01 → 2024-12-31 | Resolvedreturned 2024-12-31 |
| Monitoring, Routine (RTCR)Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | 2022-10-01 → 2022-10-31 | Resolvedreturned 2022-10-31 |
| Report Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR)Revised Total Coliform Rule | Reporting | 2022-01-11 | Resolvedreturned 2022-01-31 |
| Report Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR)Revised Total Coliform Rule | Reporting | 2021-06-01 | Resolvedreturned 2021-08-03 |
| Monitoring, Source Water (GWR)E. COLI | Monitoring & reporting | 2016-12-28 | Resolvedreturned 2017-01-20 |
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 ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT
Well below the 15 ppb action level. In the most recent monitoring period on file (2023-01-01 to 2025-12-31), 90% of the homes ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT sampled had lead at or below 1.4 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-01-01 → 2025-12-31 | 1.4 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2020-01-01 → 2022-12-31 | 2.8 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | 4.8 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2014-01-01 → 2016-12-31 | 2.3 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2011-01-01 → 2013-12-31 | 0.5 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2008-01-01 → 2010-12-31 | 0.5 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2007-01-01 → 2009-12-31 | 1.4 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2004-01-01 → 2006-12-31 | 0.9 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2001-01-01 → 2003-12-31 | 4 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 1997-01-01 → 1997-12-31 | 6.2 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 1996-01-01 → 1996-12-31 | 10 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 1995-01-01 → 1995-06-30 | 6 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_LCR_SAMPLES.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA UCMR5 monitoring, 2024-10-17 to 2025-07-14 · 174 PFAS results at entry points to the distribution system
PFOS measured at or above EPA's legal limit in at least one sample. Utilities have until 2029 (2031 under EPA's proposed extension) to comply with the 2024 PFAS rule, so a result above the MCL today is not yet a violation — but it is the number that matters for your health.
| Compound | Detects / samples | Max (ppt) | Reporting limit | EPA MCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 0 / 6 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS | 1 / 6 | 4.1 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS | 0 / 6 | < 3 | 3 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFNA | 0 / 6 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA | 0 / 6 | < 5 | 5 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFBS | 0 / 6 | < 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 → · Best filters for PFAS →
Source: UCMR5 occurrence data, EPA Data Summary July 2026 (UCMR5_All.txt)
EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance samples for ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT · finished water only · dated data, released 2024
These are the regulated-contaminant samples ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT 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 | 116 detects | 0.673 µg/L | 1.9 µg/L | 10 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Nitrate (as N) | 1412 detects | 0.482 mg/L | 0.959 mg/L | 10 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Fluoride | 11 | 0.678 mg/L | 0.94 mg/L | 4 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Chromium (total) | 112 detects | 0.455 µg/L | 3 µg/L | 100 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Gross alpha | 2 | 4.2 pCi/L | 4.4 pCi/L | 15 pCi/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) | 139 | 20.079 µg/L | 45.6 µg/L | 80 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) | 139136 detects | 8.951 µg/L | 26.2 µg/L | 60 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
| Lead (tap samples) | 6016 detects | 0.993 µg/L | 10.1 µg/L | 15 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
| Copper (tap samples) | 60 | 178.55 µg/L | 854 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)
ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT · 23,993 service lines inventoried · Q2 2026 snapshot
ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT reports 9 service lines that are lead or galvanized-requiring-replacement (<0.1% of the lines it has inventoried), plus 21 lines whose material is still unknown. A lead service line is the pipe between the water main and a building, so treated water can pick up lead after it leaves the plant — which city-level testing does not capture. Under EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, utilities must replace lead lines within 10 years starting in 2027.
Source: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory (Q2 2026) · PWS ID IN5248002 · See all Indiana lead service lines. We may earn a commission from filters and test kits, at no extra cost to you.
Source type was not reported to EPA for this system.
How to test your tap water and the treatment options that actually fit Anderson 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 Anderson 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 Anderson 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.
Anderson ranks #31 of 32 graded Indiana cities.
Anderson grades C. EPA records 1 health-based violation for ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT in the last five years. PFOA or PFOS was measured at or above the 4 ppt federal limit. The water is legal to drink, but a certified filter matched to these findings is a reasonable precaution.
ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2023-01-01 to 2025-12-31) was 1.4 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.
Yes. EPA's UCMR5 sampling (2024-10-17 to 2025-07-14) detected PFOS, with PFOA or PFOS at or above the 4 ppt federal MCL. Reverse osmosis and certified activated-carbon filters reduce PFAS.
ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT has 5 violations on file since 2016: 1 health-based in the last five years and 2 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
ANDERSON WATER DEPARTMENT reports groundwater under surface-water influence as its primary source and serves about 55,212 people (EPA PWSID IN5248002).
We recommend one. Reverse osmosis or a PFAS-certified carbon filter addresses the PFAS result.
PFOA or PFOS was measured at or above EPA's 4 ppt limit in Anderson's UCMR5 sampling.
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