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Lead Contamination

Lead in Colorado Drinking Water

Ranked by 90th percentile lead level (ppb) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

246
Cities Tested
3
Exceeds Limit
1%
% Exceeds Limit
2.0 ppb
State Avg
▼ 1% vs national
vs National
206
Health Violations
Analysis

Lead in Colorado: what the data shows

Colorado has 246 cities with lead monitoring data, with very few cities exceeding the EPA action level of 15 ppb. The state average 90th percentile lead level is 2.0 ppb, compared to 3.3 ppb nationally — better than the national average. 3 cities exceed the 15 ppb action level. High lead levels in tap water typically indicate aging infrastructure — lead service lines, lead solder in older plumbing, or lead-containing brass fixtures. There is no safe level of lead exposure for children. The 90th percentile measurement means that 90% of tap samples in a city are at or below the reported level. This is the standard EPA uses under the Lead and Copper Rule to determine if a water system needs to take corrective action. An NSF 53-certified pitcher or under-sink filter can effectively remove lead at the tap.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 15 ppb EPA Action Level

Colorado
1%
3 of 246 cities
← ▼ 1% below national rate (better)
National avg
2%
378 of 15681 cities
City Map

Lead data across Colorado

Each dot is a city, colored by overall water quality grade. Cities with lead levels above the 15 ppb EPA action level are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by lead level in Colorado

Highest Lead levels (ppb)

  1. 1 C Keystone 32.0 ppb Yes 11K
  2. 2 F Rocky Ford 27.5 ppb Yes 6K
  3. 3 F Hotchkiss 17.0 ppb Yes 4K
  4. 4 F Ignacio 10.5 ppb 3K
  5. 5 A- Fort Carson 10.4 ppb 48K
  6. 6 C+ Berthoud 10.0 ppb 40K
  7. 7 C Fairplay 9.5 ppb 1K
  8. 8 F Durango 8.8 ppb 47K
  9. 9 F Frisco 8.5 ppb 5K
  10. 10 F Crawford 8.4 ppb 1K
All Cities

All Colorado cities ranked by lead level

# City Level Level Exceeds? Violations Grade
1 Keystone 32.0 ppb
Yes 1
C
2 Rocky Ford 27.5 ppb
Yes 325
F
3 Hotchkiss 17.0 ppb
Yes 145
F
4 Ignacio 10.5 ppb
No 6
F
5 Fort Carson 10.4 ppb
No 0
A-
6 Berthoud 10.0 ppb
No 8
C+
7 Fairplay 9.5 ppb
No 2
C
8 Durango 8.8 ppb
No 112
F
9 Frisco 8.5 ppb
No 7
F
10 Crawford 8.4 ppb
No 31
F
11 Grand Junction 8.2 ppb
No 4
B
12 Dillon 8.0 ppb
No 0
C+
13 Granby 8.0 ppb
No 9
C-
14 Moffat 8.0 ppb
No 1
B-
15 Idaho Springs 7.0 ppb
No 28
B
16 Austin 7.0 ppb
No 0
B+
17 Clark 6.6 ppb
No 6
C-
18 Woodland 6.2 ppb
No 1
B-
19 Gainesville 6.1 ppb
No 2
A-
20 Evergreen 6.0 ppb
No 57
F
21 Delta 6.0 ppb
No 1
A-
22 Georgetown 6.0 ppb
No 2
A-
23 Olathe 6.0 ppb
No 0
B
24 Hastings 5.8 ppb
No 0
A-
25 Copper Mountain 5.0 ppb
No 1
B+
26 Antonito 5.0 ppb
No 17
F
27 Haxtun 5.0 ppb
No 13
C
28 Sedalia 5.0 ppb
No 9
C+
29 Fountain 4.4 ppb
No 4
F
30 Cripple Creek 4.4 ppb
No 1
B
31 Grand Lake 4.3 ppb
No 3
B+
32 Telluride 4.2 ppb
No 21
D
33 Lamar 4.0 ppb
No 14
B-
34 Silt 4.0 ppb
No 28
F
35 Hudson 4.0 ppb
No 12
D
36 Conifer 4.0 ppb
No 12
B+
37 Cheyenne Wells 4.0 ppb
No 11
B
38 Granada 4.0 ppb
No 11
D
39 Fort Collins 3.9 ppb
No 6
D
40 La Porte 3.9 ppb
No 3
A-
41 Estes Park 3.5 ppb
No 49
D
42 La Veta 3.5 ppb
No 26
F
43 Lucerne 3.4 ppb
No 0
B+
44 Loveland 3.0 ppb
No 50
F
45 Fort Morgan 3.0 ppb
No 5
A-
46 Eagle 3.0 ppb
No 4
C+
47 Dacono 3.0 ppb
No 2
A-
48 Bayfield 3.0 ppb
No 25
D
49 Colorado City 3.0 ppb
No 34
F
50 Meeker 3.0 ppb
No 6
C+
51 Kremmling 3.0 ppb
No 3
C
52 Calhan 3.0 ppb
No 3
D+
53 Fowler 3.0 ppb
No 25
B
54 Kiowa 3.0 ppb
No 0
A-
55 Hugo 3.0 ppb
No 2
B-
56 Ft Morgan 3.0 ppb
No 61
F
57 Empire 3.0 ppb
No 14
C+
58 Frederick 2.9 ppb
No 1
B-
59 Administrative Contact 2.8 ppb
No 9
F
60 Morrison 2.7 ppb
No 12
C+
61 Erie 2.6 ppb
No 1
A
62 Edgewater 2.6 ppb
No 0
A-
63 Hayden 2.4 ppb
No 6
D
64 Parachute 2.4 ppb
No 1
A-
65 Parker 2.3 ppb
No 4
F
66 Dolores 2.3 ppb
No 1
B
67 Cortez 2.2 ppb
No 7
D
68 Winter Park 2.1 ppb
No 7
D
69 Silverton 2.1 ppb
No 1
A-
70 Broomfield 2.0 ppb
No 5
B
71 Highlands Ranch 2.0 ppb
No 0
B-
72 Vail 2.0 ppb
No 0
A
73 Canon City 2.0 ppb
No 4
B+
74 Pueblo West 2.0 ppb
No 5
B-
75 Breckenridge 2.0 ppb
No 4
B+
76 Gypsum 2.0 ppb
No 1
A+
77 Black Hawk 2.0 ppb
No 0
A-
78 Severance 2.0 ppb
No 0
A
79 Cedaredge 2.0 ppb
No 67
D
80 Craig 2.0 ppb
No 0
B
81 Eaton 2.0 ppb
No 1
B-
82 Manitou Springs 2.0 ppb
No 4
A
83 Rangely 2.0 ppb
No 3
C+
84 Akron 2.0 ppb
No 4
B
85 Wiley 2.0 ppb
No 376
D+
86 Norwood 2.0 ppb
No 44
B-
87 Julesburg 2.0 ppb
No 4
B-
88 Minturn 2.0 ppb
No 2
B+
89 Pine Bluffs 2.0 ppb
No 17
D+
90 Pine Bluffs 2.0 ppb
No 17
D+
91 Williamsburg 2.0 ppb
No 0
B
92 Swink 2.0 ppb
No 12
A-
93 Simla 2.0 ppb
No 3
A-
94 Northglenn 1.7 ppb
No 0
A+
95 Federal Heights 1.7 ppb
No 0
B+
96 Oak Creek 1.7 ppb
No 28
D
97 Hillrose 1.5 ppb
No 15
B+
98 South Fork 1.5 ppb
No 8
D
99 Gilcrest 1.4 ppb
No 2
B+
100 Debeque 1.4 ppb
No 3
C+
101 Basalt 1.3 ppb
No 6
D
102 Ault 1.3 ppb
No 0
B+
103 Ouray 1.3 ppb
No 1
C-
104 Naturita 1.3 ppb
No 12
C-
105 Pagosa Springs 1.2 ppb
No 25
F
106 Florence 1.2 ppb
No 2
C+
107 Towoac 1.2 ppb
No 5
D
108 Ridgway 1.2 ppb
No 11
D+
109 Nucla 1.1 ppb
No 9
D
110 Rockvale 1.1 ppb
No 2
B
111 Westminster 1.0 ppb
No 1
D
112 Littleton 1.0 ppb
No 16
F
113 Johnstown 1.0 ppb
No 6
B
114 Niwot 1.0 ppb
No 1
A
115 Wellington 1.0 ppb
No 4
B-
116 Silverthorne 1.0 ppb
No 3
D+
117 Gunnison 1.0 ppb
No 14
C
118 Redvale 1.0 ppb
No 0
D
119 Buena Vista 1.0 ppb
No 13
F
120 Bennett 1.0 ppb
No 5
A-
121 Larkspur 1.0 ppb
No 11
D+
122 Burlington 1.0 ppb
No 84
C-
123 Platteville 1.0 ppb
No 0
B+
124 Nederland 1.0 ppb
No 5
A-
125 Crestone 1.0 ppb
No 2
B-
126 Strasburg 1.0 ppb
No 19
D
127 Wiggins 1.0 ppb
No 16
D+
128 El Jebel 1.0 ppb
No 3
B-
129 Del Norte 1.0 ppb
No 4
B
130 Springfield 1.0 ppb
No 4
B+
131 Indian Hills 1.0 ppb
No 8
B
132 Rock Springs 1.0 ppb
No 3
B
133 Holly 1.0 ppb
No 60
D+
134 Pierce 1.0 ppb
No 1
A
135 Byers 1.0 ppb
No 3
A
136 Mulberry 1.0 ppb
No 1
B-
137 Walsh 1.0 ppb
No 18
D+
138 Saguache 1.0 ppb
No 1
D+
139 Salida 0.9 ppb
No 2
D
140 Palmer Lake 0.9 ppb
No 15
D
141 Hot Sulphur Springs 0.9 ppb
No 4
A-
142 Clifton 0.8 ppb
No 2
A
143 Stratton 0.8 ppb
No 8
C-
144 Glenwood Springs 0.7 ppb
No 17
F
145 Usaf Academy 0.6 ppb
No 3
A
146 Rifle 0.6 ppb
No 64
D
147 La Junta 0.6 ppb
No 245
F
148 Dove Creek 0.6 ppb
No 8
C-
149 Wheat Ridge 0.5 ppb
No 56
D
150 Firestone 0.5 ppb
No 0
A-
151 Greenwood Village 0.5 ppb
No 24
F
152 Crested Butte 0.5 ppb
No 12
C-
153 Watkins 0.5 ppb
No 3
D
154 Penrose 0.5 ppb
No 5
A-
155 Divide 0.5 ppb
No 49
F
156 Bailey 0.5 ppb
No 1
C
157 Monument 0.4 ppb
No 23
F
158 Palisade 0.3 ppb
No 2
C-
159 Nathrop 0.2 ppb
No 14
B+
160 Denver 0.0 ppb
No 104
F
161 Aurora 0.0 ppb
No 22
F
162 Colorado Springs 0.0 ppb
No 117
F
163 Lakewood 0.0 ppb
No 28
F
164 Thornton 0.0 ppb
No 3
F
165 Arvada 0.0 ppb
No 1
B+
166 Boulder 0.0 ppb
No 15
F
167 Greeley 0.0 ppb
No 16
F
168 Pueblo 0.0 ppb
No 15
F
169 Castle Rock 0.0 ppb
No 20
F
170 Longmont 0.0 ppb
No 2
A-
171 Centennial 0.0 ppb
No 18
F
172 Englewood 0.0 ppb
No 33
D
173 Commerce City 0.0 ppb
No 0
A
174 Brighton 0.0 ppb
No 18
F
175 Golden 0.0 ppb
No 18
B-
176 Montrose 0.0 ppb
No 7
F
177 Aspen 0.0 ppb
No 2
D
178 Lafayette 0.0 ppb
No 19
F
179 Steamboat Springs 0.0 ppb
No 57
F
180 Windsor 0.0 ppb
No 51
D
181 Louisville 0.0 ppb
No 2
A-
182 Evans 0.0 ppb
No 0
B+
183 Falcon 0.0 ppb
No 1
D
184 Superior 0.0 ppb
No 5
A
185 Sterling 0.0 ppb
No 29
C-
186 Fort Lupton 0.0 ppb
No 35
D
187 Peyton 0.0 ppb
No 2
B-
188 Trinidad 0.0 ppb
No 12
D
189 Castle Pines 0.0 ppb
No 0
B+
190 Alamosa 0.0 ppb
No 44
D
191 Milliken 0.0 ppb
No 0
B
192 Carbondale 0.0 ppb
No 77
F
193 Leadville 0.0 ppb
No 3
D
194 Glendale 0.0 ppb
No 3
D
195 Lochbuie 0.0 ppb
No 1
A-
196 Limon 0.0 ppb
No 3
A-
197 Snowmass Village 0.0 ppb
No 2
B-
198 New Castle 0.0 ppb
No 3
A-
199 Fraser 0.0 ppb
No 0
C-
200 Elizabeth 0.0 ppb
No 5
B
201 Keenesburg 0.0 ppb
No 5
A-
202 Monte Vista 0.0 ppb
No 10
D+
203 Walsenburg 0.0 ppb
No 47
D
204 Yuma 0.0 ppb
No 12
C+
205 Paonia 0.0 ppb
No 29
D
206 Central City 0.0 ppb
No 1
A-
207 Lyons 0.0 ppb
No 61
D
208 Mount Crested Butte 0.0 ppb
No 0
A-
209 Mancos 0.0 ppb
No 3
C
210 Holyoke 0.0 ppb
No 8
C+
211 Center 0.0 ppb
No 0
A-
212 Woodland Park 0.0 ppb
No 55
D
213 Las Animas 0.0 ppb
No 6
B+
214 Wray 0.0 ppb
No 0
B+
215 Ordway 0.0 ppb
No 4
C+
216 Flagler 0.0 ppb
No 2
A-
217 Kersey 0.0 ppb
No 1
A-
218 Lasalle 0.0 ppb
No 1
C+
219 Westcliffe 0.0 ppb
No 0
B-
220 Creede 0.0 ppb
No 0
B
221 Edwards 0.0 ppb
No 43
C
222 Deer Trail 0.0 ppb
No 7
A-
223 Poncha Springs 0.0 ppb
No 1
A-
224 Pelham 0.0 ppb
No 0
A+
225 San Luis 0.0 ppb
No 9
D
226 West Columbia 0.0 ppb
No 1
B+
227 Log Lane Village 0.0 ppb
No 2
B+
228 Manassa 0.0 ppb
No 3
B
229 Manzanola 0.0 ppb
No 340
D+
230 Beulah 0.0 ppb
No 66
D
231 Sanford 0.0 ppb
No 0
A
232 La Jara 0.0 ppb
No 0
B
233 Rye 0.0 ppb
No 69
D
234 Des Plaines 0.0 ppb
No 0
A
235 Collbran 0.0 ppb
No 0
A-
236 Eads 0.0 ppb
No 1
A
237 Lake City 0.0 ppb
No 1
A-
238 Walden 0.0 ppb
No 1
B
239 Zion 0.0 ppb
No 0
A
240 Otis 0.0 ppb
No 2
C+
241 Tabernash 0.0 ppb
No 0
A
242 Dubuque 0.0 ppb
No 0
A
243 Woody Creek 0.0 ppb
No 2
D+
244 Diamond 0.0 ppb
No 0
A-
245 Decatur 0.0 ppb
No 0
B+
246 Perth (T) 0.0 ppb
No 2
D+
FAQ

Frequently asked questions about lead in Colorado

Is lead in Colorado tap water a concern?

Yes — 3 of 246 cities with lead data exceed the EPA action level of 15 ppb. The state average is 2.0 ppb. Even below the action level, lead poses health risks especially for children and pregnant women. If your home was built before 1986, consider testing your tap water directly.

How can I reduce lead exposure from Colorado tap water?

Use an NSF 53-certified water filter, which is specifically certified to reduce lead. Run your cold tap for 30 seconds before drinking or cooking, especially if water has been sitting in pipes for hours. Never use hot tap water for cooking or making baby formula, as heat increases lead leaching from pipes.

Which Colorado cities have the highest lead levels?

The cities with the highest 90th percentile lead levels in Colorado are: Keystone (32.0 ppb), Rocky Ford (27.5 ppb), Hotchkiss (17.0 ppb), Ignacio (10.5 ppb), Fort Carson (10.4 ppb). See the full ranked table above.

More contaminants

Other contaminants in Colorado

PFAS in Colorado
Ranked by compounds detected
→
Copper in Colorado
Ranked by 90th percentile level (mg/L)
→
HAA5 in Colorado
Ranked by average concentration (µg/L)
→
Chromium-6 in Colorado
Ranked by max detected (µg/L)
→
Arsenic in Colorado
Ranked by violation count
→
Nitrate in Colorado
Ranked by violation count
→
Strontium in Colorado
Ranked by max detected (µg/L)
→
1,4-Dioxane in Colorado
Ranked by max detected (µg/L)
→
Manganese in Colorado
Ranked by max detected (µg/L)
→
Vanadium in Colorado
Ranked by max detected (µg/L)
→
Chlorate in Colorado
Ranked by max detected (µg/L)
→
Molybdenum in Colorado
Ranked by max detected (µg/L)
→
Cobalt in Colorado
Ranked by max detected (µg/L)
→
Lithium in Colorado
Ranked by max detected (µg/L)
→
NDMA in Colorado
Ranked by max detected (ng/L)
→
Perchlorate in Colorado
Ranked by max detected (µg/L)
→
All states

Lead in drinking water by state

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaQCRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
← Lead contamination overview Explore Colorado water quality → National Lead map →