We read 15 results from City of Hays’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 3 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 21,040 people · Water system ID KS2005111 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)highest measured · sampled 2024 · Wells / treated water · 2025 report, page 2 | 10 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Sulfatehighest measured · sampled 2024 · Wells / treated water · 2025 report, page 4 | 280 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Above the guideline1.1x the guideline (taste, odor or stains; not a health limit) |
| Total dissolved solidshighest measured · sampled 2024 · Wells / treated water · 2025 report, page 4 | 770 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Above the guideline1.5x the guideline (taste, odor or stains; not a health limit) |
| Bariumhighest measured · sampled 2024 · Wells / treated water · 2025 report, page 2 | 0.0096 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chloraminehighest running annual average · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 3 | 3.3 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Chloridehighest measured · sampled 2024 · Wells / treated water · 2025 report, page 4 | 150 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Chromium (total)highest measured · sampled 2024 · Wells / treated water · 2025 report, page 2 | 1.6 ppb | None set | 100 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of homes tested, 0 over the action level · sampled 2024 · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 3 | 0.01 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 16 to 16 · 1006 W 39th · 2025 report, page 3 | 19 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Lead90th percentile of homes tested, 0 over the action level · sampled 2024 · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 3 | Not detected | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Not detected |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · Wells / treated water · 2025 report, page 2 | 5.5 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Seleniumhighest measured · sampled 2024 · Wells / treated water · 2025 report, page 2 | 4 ppb | 30 ppb | 50 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Conductivityhighest measured · sampled 2024 · Wells / treated water · 2025 report, page 4 | 1,100 µS/cm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Hardnesshighest measured · sampled 2024 · Wells / treated water · 2025 report, page 4 | 12.3 gpg (210 ppm) | — | — | Very hard |
| Sodiumhighest measured · sampled 2024 · Wells / treated water · 2025 report, page 4 | 170 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. 2 numbers we weren’t sure about are held back until a person checks.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in City of Hays’s water between May 2023 and Nov 2023. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFBS3.8 pptFound in 1 of 2 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- Lithium105 ppbFound in 2 of 2 samples · highest resultAbove EPA’s health reference level of 10 ppb (a guide, not a legal limit)
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)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Salty taste / high TDS
Found: Sulfate, Total dissolved solids
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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