Forever Chemicals
If you're eyeing a move to Arizona and want to know what's in the water before you settle on a neighborhood, this page is built for you — long-time residents and curious neighbors welcome too. The office behind these rules is the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, ADEQ, which runs the state's Safe Drinking Water program under the federal limits it administers. Everything below is drawn straight from federal testing, not written up by us, and none of it declares a single tap safe or unsafe. It's a record worth reviewing when you're evaluating an address — the facts, laid out plainly.
EPA's UCMR 5 program (2021–2024) tested 47 public water systems in Arizona for 29 PFAS compounds; 5 reported at least one detection and none exceeded the 2024 federal limit of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (a 11% detection rate). Detections vary by water system — check the utility serving a specific Arizona address.
Drinking-water rules in Arizona are administered by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), which oversees the state's Safe Drinking Water program and reports to the same federal standards as everyone else. Arizona has largely worked within the federal framework rather than setting its own enforceable PFAS drinking-water limits, so for most residents the binding figures are the federal ones ADEQ administers — including the April 2024 rule that set PFOA and PFOS at 4 parts per trillion. In a fast-growing, water-conscious state, it helps to know there's a single named office holding the rulebook.
Numbers below come straight from EPA UCMR 5 monitoring (2021–2024). Every public water system in Arizonaserving more than 3,300 people had to test for 29 different PFAS — here's what they reported.
47
Water systems tested
UCMR 5 (2021–2024)
5
Systems with any PFAS detected
11% detection rate
0
Systems exceeding 2024 MCL
Above 4 ppt PFOA/PFOS
6
Distinct PFAS compounds detected
Of 29 monitored under UCMR 5
0
TRI-reporting PFAS facilities
EPA Toxics Release Inventory 2024
3
DoD PFAS installations
Military PFAS contamination sites
Red triangles are military installations the Department of Defense has flagged for PFAS from firefighting foam. Orange dots are industrial facilities that reported PFAS to the EPA Toxics Release Inventory. If your future home sits near a cluster, that's a conversation worth having with the seller or landlord.
These are the Arizonautilities where EPA testing found PFAS the most often or at the highest levels. Being on this list doesn't automatically mean today's tap water is unsafe — some systems have added treatment since these samples were taken — but it means a conversation with the utility is worth having before you move in.
| Water system | Detections | Max value (ng/L) | vs 2024 MCL |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAFFORD CITY OF | 1 | 0.07 | Below MCL |
| MORENCI WATER ELEC CO MAIN | 1 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| ARIZONA WATER CO - BISBEE | 4 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| US ARMY FORT HUACHUCA | 4 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| LIBERTY WATER LPSCO | 3 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
PFAS isn't one chemical — it's a family of thousands. Here are the specific compounds EPA picked up most often across Arizona water systems. PFOA and PFOS are the two with the strictest federal limits (4 parts per trillion).
For decades the military trained with AFFF firefighting foam loaded with PFAS. It soaked into soil and groundwater and, in many places, traveled miles. If you're house-hunting near any of these Arizona installations, the address report will tell you exactly how close.
Davis-Monthan AFB
Air Force
Luke AFB
Air Force
Morris (Tucson International Airport)
Air Force
Looking at a specific Arizonacity? Each page below pulls the same federal data narrowed to that water system — useful whether you're relocating, buying, organizing your neighborhood around getting cleaner water, or just trying to find out what's in the tap and what's around you.
Arizona has a substantial military presence, and for veterans and military families, the installations listed above deserve a straight explanation. AFFF — a firefighting foam used on bases for decades in training and emergencies — contained PFAS, the forever chemicals that resist breaking down and can seep through soil into groundwater over years. That's why an installation can surface on a contamination list long after the foam was last used. The installations listed above are the ones federal records flag in Arizona. The aim here isn't to alarm anyone; it's to let you see the public record clearly, the same record open to anyone evaluating an address.
Yes. EPA UCMR 5 monitoring (2021–2024) tested 47 public water systems in Arizona; 5 had at least one PFAS detection. Detections vary by water system — check your specific serving utility.
Arizona has largely followed the federal framework rather than adopting its own enforceable PFAS drinking-water limits. For most residents that means the binding limits are the federal ones the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) administers, including the April 2024 rule capping PFOA and PFOS at 4 parts per trillion.
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) runs the state's Safe Drinking Water program and enforces drinking-water rules consistent with federal EPA standards. Rather than setting state-specific PFAS limits, ADEQ tends to administer the federal limits that apply to public water systems.
ADEQ is the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, the state agency overseeing environmental programs including drinking water. If you need the office responsible for water quality in Arizona, ADEQ is the one to reach.
Use VetMyAddress to see the PFAS detections reported for the public water system serving any Arizona address, alongside nearby military bases and industrial PFAS sources. The data comes from EPA UCMR 5, EPA TRI, and the DoD PFAS installation report.
In April 2024 the EPA set the first enforceable federal limits for PFAS in drinking water: 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, and 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA (GenX), plus a Hazard Index for certain mixtures. Public water systems must complete initial monitoring by 2027 and come into compliance after that.
No. The federal limits apply to public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own testing and treatment, which is especially worth doing near a known PFAS source like a military base or industrial site.
State numbers tell you the pattern. An address report tells you what's actually in the water at yourkitchen sink — the matched utility, the PFAS detections on file, and every military or industrial source nearby. Whether it's for your family, your neighbors, or peace of mind.
Data sources: EPA UCMR 5 bulk data · EPA TRI 2024 · DoD PFAS installation report