We read 16 results from Augusta-Richmond Co Ws’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 3 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 204,000 people · Water system ID GA2450000 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2025 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead90th percentile of 50 homes tested, 2 over the action level · Customer taps (50 homes) · 2025 report, page 8 | 1.4 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal7x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)average · sampled 2024 · All sampling sites (UCMR 5) · 2025 report, page 9 | 4.4 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.1x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029Not a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| PFOS (a PFAS)average · sampled 2024 · All sampling sites (UCMR 5) · 2025 report, page 9 | 9.4 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20292.4x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029Not a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| Chlorineaverage · range 1.36 to 2.42 · Groundwater plants · 2025 report, page 7 | 1.94 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of 50 homes tested, 0 over the action level · printed as 160 ppb · Customer taps (50 homes) · 2025 report, page 8 | 0.16 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 23.8 to 63.1 · Highland plant area · 2025 report, page 7 | 40 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 30.3 to 68.6 · Highland plant area · 2025 report, page 7 | 44.1 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range ND to 1.41 · Groundwater plants, highest of 3 sources · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.74 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Nitrate (as N)average · range ND to 1.76 · Groundwater plants · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.81 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)average · sampled 2024 · All sampling sites (UCMR 5) · 2025 report, page 9 | 8.6 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| Total coliform bacteriahighest month · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 7 | Not detected | 0 % positive | 5 % positive | Not detected |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · range 0.03 to 0.12 · Highland plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.12 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| PFBS (a PFAS)average · sampled 2024 · All sampling sites (UCMR 5) · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.9 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)average · sampled 2024 · All sampling sites (UCMR 5) · 2025 report, page 9 | 1.3 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFPeA (a PFAS)average · sampled 2024 · All sampling sites (UCMR 5) · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.5 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumaverage · Hicks plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 11 ppm | 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 Augusta-Richmond Co Ws’s water between Jun 2023 and Mar 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA29.9 pptFound in 2 of 14 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS51 pptFound in 4 of 14 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS51.2 pptFound in 4 of 14 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- PFBS5.9 pptFound in 2 of 14 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.
Lead
Found: Lead
What removes it: Certified carbon block or RO.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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