231 public water systems in Kentucky were sampled in EPA's UCMR 5 programme (2023–2025); we show six PFAS and lithium. Read 2026-10-31.
32 of 231 systems had at least one sample above a 2024 federal limit; 62 had at least one PFAS found above the reporting level; 169 had none found above the reporting level.
A single sample above a 2024 limit is a measurement, not a violation. Compliance is judged on running yearly averages, and water systems have until 2029 to meet the limits. On 20 May 2026 EPA proposed giving qualifying systems until 2031 for PFOA and PFOS and removing the limits for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA; those proposals were not final when we last checked (5 Nov 2026). Counts are per system, not per person; population figures are available only for systems serving more than 25,000 people (about 3,002,106 people across those systems here). UCMR 5 was a one-time national monitoring programme (2023–2025). The results are a snapshot at the system's entry points or taps on the sample dates, not a continuous measurement and not a compliance record.
| System | People served | UCMR 5 result |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville Louisville Water Company | 806,997 | Above the 2024 limit in at least one sample |
| Kentucky-American Water Co Kentucky-American Water Co | 669,042 | Detected, below the 2024 limit |
Pages for these are being added in stages. The data for all 231 systems is in the public dataset.
| System | People served | UCMR 5 result |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Kentucky Water District Northern Kentucky Water District | 259,949 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Warren County Water District Warren County Water District | 91,118 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Hardin County Water District #2 Hardin County Water District #2 | 76,326 | Above the 2024 limit in at least one sample |
| Boone Co Water & Sewer District Boone Co Water & Sewer District | 66,300 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Paducah Water Works Paducah Water Works | 65,004 | Above the 2024 limit in at least one sample |
| Owensboro Municipal Utilities Owensboro Municipal Utilities | 60,473 | Above the 2024 limit in at least one sample |
| Bowling Green Municipal Utilities Bowling Green Municipal Utilities | 53,601 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Frankfort Plant Board Frankfort Plant Board | 52,153 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Georgetown Municipal Water Service Georgetown Municipal Water Service | 44,608 | Above the 2024 limit in at least one sample |
| Ashland Water Works Ashland Water Works | 44,402 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Mountain Water Dist Mountain Water Dist | 44,057 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Hopkinsville Water Environment Authority Hopkinsville Water Environment Authority | 41,350 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Oldham County Water District Oldham County Water District | 38,409 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Glasgow Water Company Glasgow Water Company | 36,766 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Richmond Utilities Richmond Utilities | 35,640 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Nicholasville Water Department Nicholasville Water Department | 35,266 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Mccreary County Water District Mccreary County Water District | 34,439 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| S E Daviess Co Water District S E Daviess Co Water District | 33,655 | Above the 2024 limit in at least one sample |
| Meade County Water District Meade County Water District | 33,313 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Danville City Water Works Danville City Water Works | 32,600 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Henderson Water Utility/North Henderson Water Utility/North | 31,705 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Franklin Water Works, Ky Franklin Water Works, Ky | 31,602 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Bardstown Municipal Water Dept Bardstown Municipal Water Dept | 31,185 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Hardin County Water District #1 Hardin County Water District #1 | 30,230 | None detected (below the reporting level) |
| Winchester Municipal Utilities Winchester Municipal Utilities | 29,823 | None detected (below the reporting level) |