We read 21 results from Citizens Water - Indianapolis’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 5 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 866,928 people · Water system ID IN5249004 · Read the district’s 2025 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atrazineaverage · range ND to 1.8 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.29 ppb | 0.15 ppb | 3 ppb | Above the health goal1.9x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)average · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 1 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Lead90th percentile of 106 homes tested, 2 over the action level · Customer taps (106 homes) · 2025 report, page 7 | 4.7 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal24x the health goal |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)average · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.23 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Total coliform bacteriahighest month · Indianapolis distribution · 2025 report, page 7 | 1.1 % positive | 0 % positive | 5 % positive | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Aluminumaverage · range ND to 0.12 · printed as 42 ppb · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.04 ppm | — | 0.2 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Bariumaverage · range 0.05 to 0.27 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.13 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chloramineaverage · range 0.09 to 2.9 · Indianapolis distribution · 2025 report, page 7 | 2 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Chlorideaverage · range 14 to 184 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 72 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Copper90th percentile of 106 homes tested, 0 over the action level · Customer taps (106 homes) · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.1 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 12 to 40 · Indianapolis distribution · 2025 report, page 7 | 38 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 22 to 70 · Indianapolis distribution · 2025 report, page 7 | 58 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range 0.1 to 0.89 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.57 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Nitrate (as N)average · range ND to 4 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 1.1 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| pHaverage · range 6.9 to 8.5 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 7.7 | — | — | Normal range |
| Simazineaverage · range ND to 0.2 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | Not detected | 4 ppb | 4 ppb | Not detected |
| Sulfateaverage · range 14 to 190 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 42 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)average · range 0.02 to 0.1 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.04 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| Hardnessaverage · range 8.65 to 26.9 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 18.5 gpg (317 ppm) | — | — | Very hard |
| Orthophosphateaverage · range ND to 2.49 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 1.94 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumaverage · range 15 to 139 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 5 | 44 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. 1 number we weren’t sure about is held back until a person checks.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in Citizens Water - Indianapolis’s water between Aug 2023 and Jul 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFBS4 pptFound in 3 of 26 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.
Industrial chemicals and pesticides
Found: Atrazine
What removes it: Carbon block or RO.
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.
Bacteria and viruses
Found: Total coliform bacteria
What removes it: UV purification (and tell your utility).
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