Is Denver tap water safe to drink?

Yes with good quality

Denver's tap water meets all EPA standards and scores well on our analysis. It is generally safe to drink though filtration can improve taste and provide extra precaution.

85/100
Purity Score
1
Issues Found
2 GPG
Hardness
Not detected
PFAS

1 Issue Detected in Denver

Arsenic Approaching Limit (0.1 mg/L)

EPA limit is 0.010 mg/L.

Arsenic info for Denver
Colorado

802,018,020,280,203 · South Platte River and mountain reservoirs

Is Denver Tap Water Safe? Full Analysis

Low Risk Updated March 2026 1.5M residents
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85
Purity Score

This report analyzes Denver's tap water across five key indicators: PFAS, lead, hardness, chlorine, and TDS. Each section links to deeper data and filter options suited to CO water conditions.

Contaminant Levels

PFAS
ND
Lead
1.8 ppb
Nitrate
0.4 mg/L
Arsenic
0.1 mg/L
Hardness
2 gpg

Health Insights

  • 1
    Denver's water meets current EPA standards. Filtration can improve taste and provide extra safety.

Score

85 /100
Excellent
"Good" threshold (70)

Denver tap water is sourced from South Platte River and mountain reservoirs and treated by Denver Water. Overall purity score: 85/100 (Excellent). Updated for 2026.

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Best filters matched to Denver's 1 issue.

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Explore Denver Water Data

PFAS in DenverForever chemicals
Lead in DenverLead risk
Denver Hard WaterHardness data
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Denver Water FAQ

Is Denver CO tap water safe to drink in 2026?
Denver tap water meets EPA federal drinking water standards and scores 85/100 (Excellent) on PurityMap for 2026. For most healthy adults the water is considered safe but point-of-use filtration adds an important layer of protection.
Does Denver CO use chlorine or chloramine for disinfection?
Denver uses chloramine as the primary disinfectant with a residual level of 0.9 ppm. Chloramine is harder to remove than free chlorine and requires a catalytic carbon or reverse osmosis filter. Standard Brita-style pitchers will NOT remove chloramine.
How hard is Denver CO water and what is the TDS level?
Denver water hardness is 2.0 grains per gallon (soft) with a TDS of 55 ppm (good). This level is unlikely to cause significant scale buildup in household plumbing.
Has PFAS been found in Denver CO drinking water?
Based on available EPA UCMR5 monitoring data as of 2026 PFAS have not been detected above EPA advisory levels in Denver drinking water.
What is the best water filter for Denver?
Based on Denver's water profile, we recommend the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher. Denver water scores well overall. A pitcher filter provides extra precaution and improves taste for drinking and cooking.

Nearby Reports

Colorado SpringsColorado — 70/100PuebloColorado — 82/100GreeleyColorado — 85/100AuroraColorado — 85/100Fort CollinsColorado — 85/100LakewoodColorado — 85/100

All Colorado cities

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Data Sources

  • EPA SDWIS
  • EWG Tap Water Database
  • Denver Water CCR
  • USGS monitoring data

PurityMap compiles public data. Updated March 2026.

© 2026 PurityMap. For informational purposes only.

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