PFAS above EPA’s limits in Washington.
The short answer
20 utilities serving 1.2 million people, as they report it, had a location averaging above a limit, most often PFOS (19) and PFOA (4). The largest is City of Vancouver, whose highest PFOS average was 18 ppt, 4.6 times the limit. The furthest above is City of Moses Lake, at 7.8 times the PFOS limit.
These are EPA’s survey results, not violations: the limits take effect April 26, 2029, and compliance will rest on each utility’s own monitoring. EPA has proposed changes to the rule; as of Oct. 13, 2026, none is final.
Utilities above a limit
Largest first. Each one’s highest location average is for the limit it is furthest above, with the single highest sample of the same PFAS; its report has every result.
| Utility | Based in | Serves | Above | Highest location average | Highest single sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Vancouver | Vancouver | 373,047 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 18 ppt4.6 times the limit | 19 ppt |
| Clark Public Utilities | Vancouver | 153,526 | PFOS | PFOS 4.2 ppt1.05 times the limit | 8.4 ppt |
| City of Kennewick | Kennewick | 118,164 | PFOS | PFOS 10.0 ppt2.5 times the limit | 12 ppt |
| Lakewood Water District | Lakewood | 82,425 | PFOS | PFOS 5.6 ppt1.4 times the limit | 5.9 ppt |
| Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer | Sammamish | 79,362 | PFOS | PFOS 9.7 ppt2.4 times the limit | 11 ppt |
| Southwood | Tacoma | 64,155 | PFOS | PFOS 5.5 ppt1.4 times the limit | 8.9 ppt |
| Covington Water District | Kent | 56,172 | PFOS | PFOS 8.4 ppt2.1 times the limit | 8.6 ppt |
| Jblm Lewis | Joint Base Lewis - McChord | 35,414 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 10 ppt2.5 times the limit | 11 ppt |
| Spanaway Water Company | Spanaway | 34,506 | PFOS | PFOS 7.2 ppt1.8 times the limit | 8.3 ppt |
| Parkland Light & Water Company | Tacoma | 33,775 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 14 ppt3.4 times the limit | 14 ppt |
| City of Moses Lake | Moses Lake | 32,428 | PFOS, PFHxS, Hazard Index | PFOS 31 ppt7.8 times the limit | 52 ppt |
| Camas Municipal Water Sewer System | Camas | 31,794 | PFOS | PFOS 6.0 ppt1.5 times the limit | 12 ppt |
| Centralia Public Works - Water | Centralia | 28,164 | PFOS | PFOS 5.5 ppt1.4 times the limit | 5.8 ppt |
| City of Washougal | Washougal | 21,441 | PFOS | PFOS 7.5 ppt1.9 times the limit | 7.9 ppt |
| Fairchild Air Force Base | Fairchild AFB | 9,544 | PFOS, PFHxS, Hazard Index | Hazard Index 1.651.7 times the limit | — |
| Jblm McChord Field | Joint Base Lewis - McChord | 7,290 | PFOS | PFOS 5.2 ppt1.3 times the limit | 5.3 ppt |
| Benton City Water | Benton City | 5,626 | PFOS | PFOS 4.3 ppt1.09 times the limit | 8.7 ppt |
| Trentwood Irrigation District 3 | Spokane | 4,228 | PFOS | PFOS 10 ppt2.5 times the limit | 12 ppt |
| Town of Coupeville | Coupeville | 4,142 | PFOA | PFOA 4.9 ppt1.2 times the limit | 9.8 ppt |
| Quistorff | Tacoma | 1,113 | PFOS, PFHxS, Hazard Index | Hazard Index 4.424.4 times the limit | — |
14 more utilities in Washington had a single sample above a limit but no location average above, so they are not listed; each report shows the sample.
Results: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data, file of Oct. 15, 2026, samples from Jan. 3, 2023 to June 17, 2026, averaged by sampling location as EPA’s final UCMR 5 data summary does. Every state, and the full data as a CSV; how this list is made. People served is what each utility reports.
Where to go next
- City of Vancouver’s reportEvery PFAS result with its dates, and the certification claim that handles each.Open the report
- Every stateThe national list, the largest utilities above a limit, and the data to download.PFAS above EPA’s limits
- Filters certified for PFASRanked by certification and what they cost over five years.Best water filters for PFAS