We read 17 results from College Utilities Corporation’s 2023 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 5 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 27,000 people · Water system ID AK2310900 · Read the district’s 2023 report (opens in a new tab)
Open this district in the water lookupCompare with your own test results, see the district map and get matched filters.
Results from the 2023 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)as reported · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2017 · Treated water · 2023 report, page 6 | 2.5 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Lead90th percentile of 30 homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2022 · Customer taps · 2023 report, page 6 | 2.3 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal11x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 4.9 · sampled 2022 · Treated water · 2023 report, page 6 | 3.4 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal486x the health goal |
| PFOS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 4.3 · sampled 2022 · Treated water · 2023 report, page 6 | 2.9 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal2.9x the health goal |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)as reported · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2017 · Treated water · 2023 report, page 6 | 0.41 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Bariumas reported · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2020 · Treated water · 2023 report, page 6 | 0.05 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorinehighest running annual average · range 0.06 to 0.97 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2022 · Distribution system · 2023 report, page 6 | 0.34 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of 30 homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · printed as 97 ppb · sampled 2022 · Customer taps · 2023 report, page 6 | 0.1 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 13.3 to 41 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2022 · Distribution system · 2023 report, page 6 | 32.3 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 40 to 82.5 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2022 · Distribution system · 2023 report, page 6 | 77.7 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideas reported · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2020 · Treated water · 2023 report, page 6 | 0.1 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)average · range 4.1 to 7.2 · sampled 2022 · Treated water · 2023 report, page 6 | 5.5 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| PFNA (a PFAS)average · range 0.76 to 0.86 · sampled 2022 · Treated water · 2023 report, page 6 | 0.81 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| Bromodichloromethanehighest running annual average · sampled 2022 · Distribution system · 2023 report, page 6 | 4.3 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 2.4 · sampled 2022 · Treated water · 2023 report, page 6 | 1.9 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHpA (a PFAS)average · range 1.5 to 1.6 · sampled 2022 · Treated water · 2023 report, page 6 | 1.6 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)average · range 2.3 to 3.6 · sampled 2022 · Treated water · 2023 report, page 6 | 2.9 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in College Utilities Corporation’s water between Jul 2024 and Dec 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA6.4 pptFound in 1 of 2 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS10.5 pptFound in 2 of 2 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross alpha (radioactivity), Radium (combined 226 + 228)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Lead
Found: Lead
What removes it: Certified carbon block or RO.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
More districts: Alaska water quality · All states · Something look wrong? Tell us