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Lead Contamination

Lead in Kentucky Drinking Water

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

245
Cities Tested
0
Exceeds Limit
0%
% Exceeds Limit
1.2 ppb
State Avg
▼ 2% vs national
vs National
222
Health Violations
Analysis

Lead in Kentucky: what the data shows

Kentucky has 245 cities with lead monitoring data, with no cities exceeding the EPA action level of 15 ppb. The state average 90th percentile lead level is 1.2 ppb, compared to 3.3 ppb nationally — better than the national average. No cities in Kentucky currently exceed the 15 ppb lead action level. However, even levels below the action level can pose health risks, particularly for infants and young children. If your home was built before 1986, consider testing your tap water directly. 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

Kentucky
0%
0 of 245 cities
← ▼ 2% below national rate (better)
National avg
2%
378 of 15681 cities
City Map

Lead data across Kentucky

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 Kentucky

Highest Lead levels (ppb)

  1. 1 B Wickliffe 14.0 ppb 1K
  2. 2 C+ Falmouth 11.0 ppb 15K
  3. 3 B- Cave City 7.0 ppb 10K
  4. 4 B- Tompkinsville 7.0 ppb 2K
  5. 5 B+ Elizabethtown 6.0 ppb 76K
  6. 6 B+ Cadiz 6.0 ppb 20K
  7. 7 B+ Flemingsburg 6.0 ppb 14K
  8. 8 C+ Paris 6.0 ppb 14K
  9. 9 A- Mt Vernon 6.0 ppb 13K
  10. 10 B+ Georgetown 5.0 ppb 36K
All Cities

All Kentucky cities ranked by lead level

# City Level Level Exceeds? Violations Grade
1 Wickliffe 14.0 ppb
No 0
B
2 Falmouth 11.0 ppb
No 19
C+
3 Cave City 7.0 ppb
No 11
B-
4 Tompkinsville 7.0 ppb
No 19
B-
5 Elizabethtown 6.0 ppb
No 3
B+
6 Cadiz 6.0 ppb
No 4
B+
7 Flemingsburg 6.0 ppb
No 13
B+
8 Paris 6.0 ppb
No 39
C+
9 Mt Vernon 6.0 ppb
No 2
A-
10 Georgetown 5.0 ppb
No 3
B+
11 Cynthiana 5.0 ppb
No 29
C+
12 Brownsville 5.0 ppb
No 26
D+
13 Jamestown 5.0 ppb
No 23
B
14 Hustonville 5.0 ppb
No 5
A-
15 Benton 4.0 ppb
No 14
C+
16 Mckee 4.0 ppb
No 60
B-
17 Middlesboro 4.0 ppb
No 1
A-
18 Salvisa 4.0 ppb
No 7
B+
19 Milton 4.0 ppb
No 6
F
20 Kuttawa 4.0 ppb
No 32
C-
21 Brandenburg 4.0 ppb
No 2
B+
22 Calisle 4.0 ppb
No 17
B-
23 Carlisle 4.0 ppb
No 38
B
24 Kevil 3.9 ppb
No 2
B
25 Sacramento 3.8 ppb
No 7
B+
26 Knottsville 3.6 ppb
No 4
B+
27 Arlington 3.1 ppb
No 0
B+
28 Radcliff 3.0 ppb
No 1
A-
29 Ashland 3.0 ppb
No 37
C+
30 Shelbyville 3.0 ppb
No 4
A-
31 Lawrenceburg 3.0 ppb
No 19
B
32 Taylorsville 3.0 ppb
No 1
A-
33 Horse Cave 3.0 ppb
No 3
A-
34 Maysville 3.0 ppb
No 8
B-
35 Catlettsburg 3.0 ppb
No 24
C-
36 West Liberty 3.0 ppb
No 21
B-
37 Edmonton 3.0 ppb
No 9
A-
38 Harrodsburg 3.0 ppb
No 8
A-
39 Burgin 3.0 ppb
No 11
B-
40 Brodhead 3.0 ppb
No 4
A-
41 Russell 3.0 ppb
No 18
A-
42 Calvert City 3.0 ppb
No 1
A-
43 Bedford 3.0 ppb
No 1
A
44 Auburn 3.0 ppb
No 5
A-
45 Guthrie 3.0 ppb
No 2
B+
46 Wurtland 3.0 ppb
No 7
B-
47 Sebree 3.0 ppb
No 1
B-
48 Worthington 3.0 ppb
No 0
A-
49 Wingo 3.0 ppb
No 1
A-
50 Wheelwright 3.0 ppb
No 5
A-
51 Lacenter 2.4 ppb
No 3
B-
52 Smithland 2.1 ppb
No 17
C-
53 Lexington 2.0 ppb
No 31
B
54 Bowling Green 2.0 ppb
No 16
B
55 London 2.0 ppb
No 19
B-
56 Frankfort 2.0 ppb
No 7
C+
57 Bradenburg 2.0 ppb
No 2
A-
58 Corbin 2.0 ppb
No 9
B
59 Versailles 2.0 ppb
No 7
B+
60 Campbellsburg 2.0 ppb
No 5
A-
61 Hodgenville 2.0 ppb
No 61
C
62 Liberty 2.0 ppb
No 32
C+
63 Springfield 2.0 ppb
No 6
A
64 Salt Lick 2.0 ppb
No 6
A-
65 Flatwoods 2.0 ppb
No 16
B
66 Inez 2.0 ppb
No 48
B-
67 Dawson Springs, Ky 42408 2.0 ppb
No 3
A-
68 Louisa 2.0 ppb
No 7
A
69 Dixon 2.0 ppb
No 29
B-
70 Simpsonville 2.0 ppb
No 5
B+
71 South Shore 2.0 ppb
No 2
A-
72 Ghent 2.0 ppb
No 1
A-
73 Mckinney 2.0 ppb
No 13
B+
74 Booneville 2.0 ppb
No 21
B+
75 Eddyville 2.0 ppb
No 9
A-
76 Providence 2.0 ppb
No 53
D
77 Sharpsburg 2.0 ppb
No 20
B
78 Ewing 2.0 ppb
No 10
B+
79 Hawesville 2.0 ppb
No 1
A
80 Hickman 2.0 ppb
No 1
B
81 Dover 2.0 ppb
No 0
A-
82 Nortonville 2.0 ppb
No 1
A-
83 Burnside 2.0 ppb
No 9
A-
84 Warsaw 2.0 ppb
No 1
A
85 Hindman 2.0 ppb
No 2
B+
86 Muldraugh 2.0 ppb
No 0
A-
87 Lynch 2.0 ppb
No 11
C-
88 Milton 1.6 ppb
No 6
D
89 Jeffersonville 1.2 ppb
No 5
A-
90 Ledbetter 1.2 ppb
No 1
C+
91 Louisville 1.1 ppb
No 7
B+
92 Burlington 1.0 ppb
No 6
B
93 Henderson 1.0 ppb
No 7
B
94 Ft. Campbell 1.0 ppb
No 0
C+
95 Buckner 1.0 ppb
No 3
A
96 Lagrange 1.0 ppb
No 0
A-
97 Vine Grove 1.0 ppb
No 3
B+
98 Sparta 1.0 ppb
No 0
A
99 Buckhorn 1.0 ppb
No 11
B-
100 Crittenden 0.3 ppb
No 9
A-
101 Ft. Thomas 0.0 ppb
No 0
A-
102 Owensboro 0.0 ppb
No 5
A-
103 Somerset 0.0 ppb
No 4
B+
104 Richmond 0.0 ppb
No 11
B
105 Paducah 0.0 ppb
No 4
A-
106 Hopkinsville 0.0 ppb
No 15
A-
107 Pikeville 0.0 ppb
No 79
D
108 Nicholasville 0.0 ppb
No 38
C-
109 Campbellsville 0.0 ppb
No 25
B
110 Winchester 0.0 ppb
No 25
B+
111 Glasgow 0.0 ppb
No 3
A
112 Whitley City 0.0 ppb
No 3
A
113 Morehead 0.0 ppb
No 45
C+
114 Danville 0.0 ppb
No 10
A-
115 Bardstown 0.0 ppb
No 13
B+
116 Florence 0.0 ppb
No 4
A
117 Mt Sterling 0.0 ppb
No 118
D
118 Leitchfield 0.0 ppb
No 9
A-
119 Sedalia 0.0 ppb
No 5
B
120 Hazard 0.0 ppb
No 21
B-
121 Prestonsburg 0.0 ppb
No 11
A-
122 Murray 0.0 ppb
No 1
C-
123 Mayfield 0.0 ppb
No 3
C-
124 Barbourville 0.0 ppb
No 10
C+
125 Berea 0.0 ppb
No 30
A-
126 Paintsville 0.0 ppb
No 10
A-
127 Lebanon 0.0 ppb
No 11
A-
128 Mt Washington 0.0 ppb
No 1
A-
129 Scottsville 0.0 ppb
No 5
B+
130 Bagdad 0.0 ppb
No 1
B+
131 Greenville 0.0 ppb
No 17
C+
132 Grayson 0.0 ppb
No 26
B-
133 Monticello 0.0 ppb
No 7
A-
134 Hartford 0.0 ppb
No 77
C
135 Lancaster 0.0 ppb
No 13
B+
136 Hardinsburg 0.0 ppb
No 29
A-
137 Pineville 0.0 ppb
No 14
C+
138 Manchester 0.0 ppb
No 16
C
139 Williamsburg 0.0 ppb
No 27
C+
140 Grennsburg 0.0 ppb
No 11
A-
141 Franklin 0.0 ppb
No 2
A-
142 Irvine, 0.0 ppb
No 11
B
143 Mcdoqwell 0.0 ppb
No 26
C+
144 Coxs Creek 0.0 ppb
No 7
B+
145 Princeton 0.0 ppb
No 15
B+
146 Elkton 0.0 ppb
No 8
A-
147 Eubank 0.0 ppb
No 10
A-
148 Greenup 0.0 ppb
No 54
B-
149 Salyersville 0.0 ppb
No 46
B-
150 Morganfield 0.0 ppb
No 47
F
151 Salem 0.0 ppb
No 10
B+
152 Russellville 0.0 ppb
No 11
B+
153 Jackson 0.0 ppb
No 19
C
154 Baxter 0.0 ppb
No 16
F
155 Vicco 0.0 ppb
No 11
B+
156 Burkesville 0.0 ppb
No 40
B-
157 Hyden 0.0 ppb
No 2
A-
158 Tompkinville, Ky 0.0 ppb
No 4
B+
159 Russell Springs 0.0 ppb
No 10
B+
160 Clay City 0.0 ppb
No 4
B+
161 Stanford 0.0 ppb
No 23
A-
162 Russellvile 0.0 ppb
No 8
A
163 Albany 0.0 ppb
No 21
B-
164 Oak Grove 0.0 ppb
No 2
A
165 Beattyville 0.0 ppb
No 21
C
166 Dry Ridge 0.0 ppb
No 32
B
167 Brooksville 0.0 ppb
No 1
A-
168 Bremen 0.0 ppb
No 0
A
169 Carrollton 0.0 ppb
No 3
B+
170 Vanceburg 0.0 ppb
No 1
A
171 Stanton 0.0 ppb
No 6
B+
172 Campton 0.0 ppb
No 42
C+
173 Bronston 0.0 ppb
No 10
B+
174 Olive Hill 0.0 ppb
No 16
B+
175 Science Hill 0.0 ppb
No 3
A-
176 Bloomfield 0.0 ppb
No 13
B
177 Wilmore 0.0 ppb
No 8
B+
178 Central City 0.0 ppb
No 7
A
179 Frenchburg 0.0 ppb
No 4
A-
180 Beaver Dam 0.0 ppb
No 5
B+
181 Adairville 0.0 ppb
No 4
A-
182 Livermore 0.0 ppb
No 31
B
183 Cawood 0.0 ppb
No 8
B+
184 Nebo 0.0 ppb
No 15
B+
185 Fulton 0.0 ppb
No 1
A-
186 Harlan 0.0 ppb
No 2
A
187 Mayslick 0.0 ppb
No 2
B
188 Parksville 0.0 ppb
No 4
A-
189 Walton 0.0 ppb
No 1
A-
190 Grand Rivers 0.0 ppb
No 2
A-
191 Whitesburg 0.0 ppb
No 32
B+
192 Madisonville 0.0 ppb
No 15
B+
193 Whitesville 0.0 ppb
No 0
B+
194 Sandy Hook 0.0 ppb
No 0
A-
195 Sturgis 0.0 ppb
No 48
C-
196 Frakfort 0.0 ppb
No 0
A-
197 Lewisport 0.0 ppb
No 0
A-
198 Neon 0.0 ppb
No 3
D
199 Raceland 0.0 ppb
No 0
A-
200 Corinth 0.0 ppb
No 13
B+
201 Lewisburg 0.0 ppb
No 14
C-
202 Evarts 0.0 ppb
No 8
B
203 Marion 0.0 ppb
No 34
B+
204 Garrison 0.0 ppb
No 0
A
205 Lebanon Junction 0.0 ppb
No 6
A-
206 Cumberland 0.0 ppb
No 9
B+
207 Mayking 0.0 ppb
No 36
B+
208 Dawson Springs 0.0 ppb
No 27
A
209 Morgantown 0.0 ppb
No 6
B+
210 Jenkins 0.0 ppb
No 25
B-
211 Eminence 0.0 ppb
No 1
A-
212 Calhoun 0.0 ppb
No 21
C
213 Greensburg 0.0 ppb
No 7
A
214 Owingsville 0.0 ppb
No 5
A-
215 Almo 0.0 ppb
No 1
A
216 Midway 0.0 ppb
No 0
A-
217 Hanson 0.0 ppb
No 17
B
218 Bonnieville 0.0 ppb
No 0
A-
219 New Castle 0.0 ppb
No 0
A
220 White Plains 0.0 ppb
No 2
A
221 Symsonia 0.0 ppb
No 1
A-
222 Elkhorn City 0.0 ppb
No 9
A-
223 Earlington 0.0 ppb
No 18
A-
224 Augusta 0.0 ppb
No 0
A
225 Irvington 0.0 ppb
No 25
A-
226 Hardin 0.0 ppb
No 3
A
227 Cloverport 0.0 ppb
No 12
A-
228 Island 0.0 ppb
No 4
A-
229 Uniontown 0.0 ppb
No 20
C+
230 Crab Orchard 0.0 ppb
No 9
B
231 Fountain Run 0.0 ppb
No 3
A-
232 Mortons Gap 0.0 ppb
No 0
B+
233 Clay 0.0 ppb
No 19
C+
234 Bardwell 0.0 ppb
No 1
A-
235 Martin 0.0 ppb
No 42
D
236 Hazel 0.0 ppb
No 0
A-
237 Fredonia 0.0 ppb
No 0
B+
238 Butler 0.0 ppb
No 4
B+
239 Trenton 0.0 ppb
No 4
A
240 Fordsville 0.0 ppb
No 8
B
241 Drakesboro 0.0 ppb
No 16
B-
242 Benham 0.0 ppb
No 6
B
243 Mount Olivet 0.0 ppb
No 6
B+
244 Slaughters 0.0 ppb
No 2
B+
245 Livingston 0.0 ppb
No 0
D
FAQ

Frequently asked questions about lead in Kentucky

Is lead in Kentucky tap water a concern?

Currently, no cities in Kentucky exceed the 15 ppb EPA lead action level. The state average is 1.2 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky cities have the highest lead levels?

The cities with the highest 90th percentile lead levels in Kentucky are: Wickliffe (14.0 ppb), Falmouth (11.0 ppb), Cave City (7.0 ppb), Tompkinsville (7.0 ppb), Elizabethtown (6.0 ppb). See the full ranked table above.

More contaminants

Other contaminants in Kentucky

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