We read 9 results from Bismarck City of’s 2024 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 2 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 72,417 people · Water system ID ND0800080 · Read the district’s 2024 report (opens in a new tab)
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead90th percentile of 30 homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps · 2024 report, page 5 | 2.8 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal14x the health goal |
| Total coliform bacteriahighest month · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 5 | 1 % positive | 0 % positive | 5 % positive | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Chloraminehighest running annual average · range 2.33 to 2.62 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 5 | 2.5 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of 30 homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps · 2024 report, page 5 | 0.03 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 4.45 to 12.4 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 5 | 11 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 25.3 to 38.6 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 5 | 35 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Nitrate (as N)single sample · listed as a violation in the report · Water treatment plant · 2024 report, page 5 | 0.04 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · listed as a violation in the report · Water treatment plant · 2024 report, page 5 | 0.27 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| Total organic carbonhighest measured · range 2 to 2.6 · listed as a violation in the report · Water treatment plant · 2024 report, page 5 | 2.6 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 Bismarck City of’s water between Jan 2025 and Oct 2025. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- Lithium40.9 ppbFound in 4 of 4 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.
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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