We read 19 results from Golden Heart Utilities’s 2024 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 5 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 78,324 people · Water system ID AK2310730 · Read the district’s 2024 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 2024 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)single sample · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2017 · Finished water · 2024 report, page 6 | 2.5 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Lead90th percentile of homes tested · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2022 · Customer taps · 2024 report, page 7 | 2.6 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal13x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)average · range 2.3 to 5.9 · Finished water · 2024 report, page 6 | 3.8 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal543x the health goal |
| PFOS (a PFAS)average · range 1.7 to 3.6 · Finished water · 2024 report, page 6 | 2.4 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal2.4x the health goal |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)single sample · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2017 · Finished water · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.41 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Bariumsingle sample · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2020 · Finished water · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.05 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorinehighest running annual average · range 0.5 to 0.57 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.54 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethyleneaverage · range 0.63 to 1.1 · listed as a violation in the report · Finished water · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.79 ppb | 70 ppb | 70 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Copper90th percentile of homes tested · listed as a violation in the report · printed as 72 ppb · sampled 2022 · Customer taps · 2024 report, page 7 | 0.07 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 17.4 to 34 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 6 | 30.4 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 41.4 to 55.8 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 6 | 51 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)average · range 4.8 to 8.8 · Finished water · 2024 report, page 6 | 6.4 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| PFNA (a PFAS)average · Finished water · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.46 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| Total dissolved solidsaverage · Finished water · 2024 report, page 7 | 163 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Hardnessaverage · Finished water · 2024 report, page 7 | 8.36 gpg (143 ppm) | — | — | Hard |
| PFBS (a PFAS)average · range 1.6 to 2.1 · Finished water · 2024 report, page 6 | 1.9 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHpA (a PFAS)average · range 1.2 to 1.5 · Finished water · 2024 report, page 6 | 1.3 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)average · range 2.7 to 3.7 · Finished water · 2024 report, page 6 | 2.8 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFPeA (a PFAS)average · Finished water · 2024 report, page 6 | 3.3 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 Golden Heart Utilities’s water between Jul 2024 and Jan 2025. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA5.4 pptFound in 1 of 2 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS8.8 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.
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