Vanadium in Arizona Drinking Water
Ranked by max vanadium detected (µg/L) · UCMR 3 data (2013–2015) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR
Vanadium in Arizona: what the data shows
Arizona has 64 cities with vanadium data from the EPA's UCMR 3 program (2013–2015). Vanadium was detected above the 21 µg/L EPA short-term health advisory in 15 of those cities. The state average max detected level is 14.91 µg/L. Vanadium occurs naturally in groundwater, particularly in the western United States where it leaches from volcanic rock and oil shale formations. Industrial sources include steel manufacturing, oil refining, and fossil fuel combustion. There is no federal MCL for vanadium — the EPA established a short-term health advisory of 21 µg/L for a 10 kg child consuming 1 L/day for 10 days. Long-term exposure to elevated vanadium has been associated with kidney effects in animal studies and possible developmental impacts. Reverse osmosis and ion exchange systems are effective at removing vanadium from drinking water.
Cities exceeding 21 µg/L EPA short-term HA (no MCL)
Vanadium data across Arizona
Each dot is a city with UCMR 3 vanadium testing data. Cities where vanadium exceeds the 21 µg/L EPA short-term health advisory are highlighted. Size reflects population served.
Top 10 cities by vanadium level in Arizona
All Arizona cities ranked by vanadium level
| # | City | Level | Level | Over HA? | Violations | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salt River Indian Community | 72.00 µg/L | Over HA | 22 | B | |
| 2 | Buckeye-Sono | 38.00 µg/L | Over HA | 2 | B- | |
| 3 | Vaya Chin, Hickiwan, San Simon Village/S | 37.00 µg/L | Over HA | 1 | A- | |
| 4 | Buckeye | 36.00 µg/L | Over HA | 103 | F | |
| 5 | Surprise | 35.30 µg/L | Over HA | 18 | F | |
| 6 | Johnson Ranch | 34.00 µg/L | Over HA | 7 | D | |
| 7 | Prescott Valley | 34.00 µg/L | Over HA | 6 | D | |
| 8 | Mesa | 32.00 µg/L | Over HA | 3 | F | |
| 9 | Peoria | 30.00 µg/L | Over HA | 13 | F | |
| 10 | Goodyear | 30.00 µg/L | Over HA | 3 | F | |
| 11 | Glendale | 29.00 µg/L | Over HA | 5 | F | |
| 12 | Litchfield Park | 26.00 µg/L | Over HA | 21 | F | |
| 13 | Phoenix | 23.20 µg/L | Over HA | 59 | F | |
| 14 | Globe | 23.00 µg/L | Over HA | 46 | F | |
| 15 | Sun City | 22.60 µg/L | Over HA | 1 | B | |
| 16 | Paradise Valley | 20.80 µg/L | No | 3 | C | |
| 17 | Gilbert | 19.00 µg/L | No | 11 | F | |
| 18 | Kingman | 19.00 µg/L | No | 110 | D | |
| 19 | El Mirage | 18.00 µg/L | No | 3 | D | |
| 20 | Safford | 18.00 µg/L | No | 9 | D | |
| 21 | Chandler | 17.00 µg/L | No | 32 | F | |
| 22 | Scottsdale | 17.00 µg/L | No | 22 | F | |
| 23 | Queen Creek | 17.00 µg/L | No | 14 | D | |
| 24 | Douglas | 17.00 µg/L | No | 55 | D | |
| 25 | Avondale | 16.00 µg/L | No | 13 | C+ | |
| 26 | Prescott | 16.00 µg/L | No | 33 | F | |
| 27 | Cave Creek | 16.00 µg/L | No | 25 | C- | |
| 28 | Oro Valley | 15.00 µg/L | No | 11 | D | |
| 29 | Anthem | 12.20 µg/L | No | 1 | B | |
| 30 | Tempe | 12.00 µg/L | No | 3 | D+ | |
| 31 | Casa Grande | 12.00 µg/L | No | 44 | F | |
| 32 | Cottonwood | 12.00 µg/L | No | 184 | D | |
| 33 | Tucson | 11.00 µg/L | No | 150 | F | |
| 34 | Catalina | 11.00 µg/L | No | 2 | D | |
| 35 | Sun City West | 9.30 µg/L | No | 3 | B+ | |
| 36 | Sacaton, Sacaton Flats,Upper San Tan, Bl | 9.00 µg/L | No | 11 | B | |
| 37 | Florence | 8.90 µg/L | No | 60 | F | |
| 38 | Red Rock | 8.66 µg/L | No | 1 | D+ | |
| 39 | Fountain Hills | 8.00 µg/L | No | 21 | F | |
| 40 | Payson | 7.70 µg/L | No | 60 | F | |
| 41 | Sahuarita | 7.60 µg/L | No | 19 | F | |
| 42 | Bullhead City | 7.40 µg/L | No | 57 | F | |
| 43 | Maricopa | 7.20 µg/L | No | 228 | D | |
| 44 | Apache Junction | 7.20 µg/L | No | 18 | F | |
| 45 | Sedona | 6.80 µg/L | No | 174 | F | |
| 46 | Kaibeto | 6.60 µg/L | No | 0 | B | |
| 47 | Ganado, Cornfield, Steamboat, Woodspring | 6.47 µg/L | No | 4 | B+ | |
| 48 | Yuma | 5.80 µg/L | No | 318 | F | |
| 49 | Flagstaff | 5.70 µg/L | No | 74 | D | |
| 50 | Nogales | 5.20 µg/L | No | 39 | F | |
| 51 | Benson | 5.02 µg/L | No | 29 | D | |
| 52 | Rio Rico | 4.80 µg/L | No | 4 | C | |
| 53 | Fort Defiance, Window Rock, St. Michaels | 4.80 µg/L | No | 22 | B- | |
| 54 | Green Valley | 4.60 µg/L | No | 9 | D | |
| 55 | Sierra Vista | 3.20 µg/L | No | 44 | D | |
| 56 | Show Low | 2.70 µg/L | No | 60 | D | |
| 57 | Whiteriver | 2.70 µg/L | No | 7 | D | |
| 58 | Fort Huachuca | 2.60 µg/L | No | 9 | F | |
| 59 | Heber | 2.40 µg/L | No | 11 | F | |
| 60 | Grand Canyon | 2.10 µg/L | No | 11 | D | |
| 61 | San Luis | 1.90 µg/L | No | 8 | D | |
| 62 | Lake Havasu City | 0.94 µg/L | No | 5 | D | |
| 63 | Mohave Valley | 0.75 µg/L | No | 14 | F | |
| 64 | Somerton | 0.24 µg/L | No | 17 | D |
Frequently asked questions about vanadium in Arizona
Is vanadium in Arizona tap water harmful?
Vanadium has no federal MCL. The EPA short-term health advisory is 21 µg/L. 15 cities in Arizona exceed this level. Long-term exposure has been linked to kidney effects in animal studies. Vanadium is most common in groundwater in the western US.
How can I remove vanadium from my drinking water?
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are highly effective at removing vanadium, typically reducing it by 90% or more. Ion exchange systems also work. Standard activated carbon filters are not effective against vanadium. If your water comes from a private well in the western US, consider testing for vanadium.