We read 16 results from City of Liberal’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 4 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 19,640 people · Water system ID KS2017504 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenichighest measured · range 1.1 to 2.4 · 2025 report, page 4 | 2.4 ppb | 0.004 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal600x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)as reported · sampled 2021 · 2025 report, page 4 | 9.3 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Ironhighest measured · range ND to 0.54 · printed as 540 ppb · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.54 ppm | — | 0.3 ppm guideline | Above the guideline1.8x the guideline (taste, odor or stains; not a health limit) |
| Uraniumas reported · sampled 2021 · 2025 report, page 4 | 11 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal18x the health goal |
| Bariumhighest measured · range 0.02 to 0.07 · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.07 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chromium (total)highest measured · range 1.1 to 17 · 2025 report, page 4 | 17 ppb | None set | 100 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of 30 homes tested, 0 over the action level · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.09 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)as reported · sampled 2024 · 2025 report, page 4 | 9 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)as reported · sampled 2024 · 2025 report, page 4 | 3.1 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluoridehighest measured · range 0.28 to 0.5 · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.5 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · range ND to 3.9 · 2025 report, page 4 | 3.9 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Seleniumhighest measured · range 4.8 to 9.7 · 2025 report, page 4 | 9.7 ppb | 30 ppb | 50 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Sulfatehighest measured · range 56 to 130 · 2025 report, page 5 | 130 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Total dissolved solidshighest measured · range 330 to 430 · 2025 report, page 5 | 430 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Hardnesshighest measured · range 12.3 to 15.8 · 2025 report, page 5 | 15.8 gpg (270 ppm) | — | — | Very hard |
| Sodiumhighest measured · range 18 to 31 · 2025 report, page 5 | 31 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 City of Liberal’s water between Nov 2024 and May 2025. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- Lithium38.4 ppbFound in 16 of 16 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), Uranium
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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