PFOS
12.8× the limitPerfluorooctanesulfonic acid
51ng/L
Each block = 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
EPA UCMR 5 · sampled 2023Evidence
City water report · 2026
Is Augusta Tap Water Safe? 2026 Water Quality Report
Short answer: Three PFAS, PFHxS, PFOA and PFOS, are above their federal limits (2024 limits that water systems have until at least 2029 to meet); 2 more are detected with no federal limit, and everything else measured is within its reference or not detected. Augusta-Richmond Co WS serves 204,000 residents.
Listed match
AUGUSTA-RICHMOND CO WS serves Augusta
EPA lists this system for the city. Your water bill or annual water quality report names your actual supplier.
- Source
- Surface water
- Lead service lines
- 0 lead
Source: EPA SDWIS 2026Q2.
- AUGUSTA-RICHMOND CO WSThis reportGA2450000 · 204,000 served
Your water utility
What stands out
Three PFAS above the 2024 federal limit
Each bar is drawn in blocks of its own limit, so the length shows how far above it the result sits.
PFOA
7.5× the limitPerfluorooctanoic acid
29.9ng/L
Each block = 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
EPA UCMR 5 · sampled 2023Evidence
PFHxS
5.1× the limitPerfluorohexanesulfonic acid
51.2ng/L
Each block = 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
EPA UCMR 5 · sampled 2023Evidence
Coverage by group
31 results on record- PFAS (forever chemicals)3 above · 4 detected · 22 not detected
- Metals & lead1 detected
- Disinfection by-productsNot monitored
- Other1 not detected
Every detected result
8 detected results, by distance from their limit
AUGUSTA-RICHMOND CO WS (EPA PWSID GA2450000) delivers surface water to 204,000 residents. This report reflects 29 individual PFAS result(s) from the source UCMR5 observations and the latest Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile result. Water hardness and disinfectant type are pending the utility's own annual report.
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)EPA UCMR 5 · 20234.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)51ng/LAbove limit
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)EPA UCMR 5 · 20234.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)29.9ng/LAbove limit
- Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)EPA UCMR 5 · 202310 ng/L federal MCL (2024)51.2ng/LAbove limit
- Lead (90th percentile)EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule) · 202315 µg/L federal action level1.4µg/LWithin reference
- Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)EPA UCMR 5 · 20232,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)5.9ng/LWithin reference
- Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)9ng/LWithin reference
- Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023No federal or state limit; shown for transparency5.4ng/LDetected · no limit
- Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023No federal or state limit; shown for transparency3ng/LDetected · no limit
23 other contaminants tested, none detected
- 11Cl-PF3OUdS
- 4:2 FTS
- 6:2 FTS
- 8:2 FTS
- 9Cl-PF3ONS
- ADONA
- HFPO-DA (GenX)
- NEtFOSAA
- NFDHA
- NMeFOSAA
- PFBA
- PFDA
- PFDoA
- PFEESA
- PFHpA
- PFHpS
- PFMBA
- PFMPA
- PFNA
- PFTA
- PFTrDA
- PFUnA
- Lithium
Track record
0health-based violations in the last 10 years
From EPA SDWIS. A clean violation history means no enforcement action was recorded; it does not cover contaminants without a limit.
Not in this recordDisinfection by-products weren't monitored in this dataset
No result is not a pass. Your utility's annual water quality report may list them, and a certified lab test covers your own tap.
What you can do
Test first, then treat what was found
- 01 · TestTest your own tap
Plumbing inside a home can add lead that the system record can't show. A tap test tells you what reaches your glass.
Certified labHow to test your tap → - 02 · Treat PFASReverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS
PFOS 51 ng/L, above the 4 ng/L limit (+6 more PFAS detected)
NSF/ANSI 58 or 53, with PFHxS/PFOA/PFOS/PFBS/PFHxA/PFPeA/PFPeS named on the listingTreatment for PFAS → - 03 · LeadLead-certified carbon filter, or reverse osmosis
lead 1.4 µg/L, below the 15 µg/L action level
NSF/ANSI 53 (lead)Treatment for Lead →
Test your own tap
Screening tells you if something is worth a closer look; a lab result is the number you can act on.
As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
Screening: quick check, not lab-grade
Safe Home DIY Lead in Drinking Water Combo Test Kit
Safe Home (EnviroTestKits)
Lead, read as one of three ranges: 0–4, 5–15 or 15+ ppb
- Turnaround: 5 minutes
What it can't tell you: It shows a lead range, not an exact level, and tests nothing else unless you pay extra for the optional lab test.
Lab-certified results
ETR Labs Basic Water Quality Test Kit
ETR Laboratories
50+ substances, including lead, copper, arsenic, nitrate, hardness and coliform bacteria
- Analyzed by Environmental Testing and Research Laboratories (ETR Labs), Leominster, MA · ISO/IEC 17025:2017, ANAB certificate AT-2638
- Turnaround: 2–4 business days after the lab receives it
What it can't tell you: It does not test PFAS, and not every result on the panel falls under the lab's accredited scope.
Commercial
Certified for a concern found here
Each card names which Augusta findings its current certification covers, and which it doesn't.
As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. A product appears here only when a current certification record covers at least one identified concern; every concern stays listed. The retail offer is looked up afterwards and never changes which products appear or their order. Affiliate disclosure.
Under-Sink Filter
Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under-Sink Filter (AQ-6300M)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFHxS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 2 more
Not suitable for (5)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Countertop System
Aquasana Clean Water Machine Countertop Filter (AQ-CWM2)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFHxS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 2 more
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
See all 9 products certified for a Augusta concern →
Countertop System
AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse-Osmosis Purifier (AT2000)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFHxS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 2 more
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Under-Sink Filter
Under-Sink Reverse-Osmosis System
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFHxS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 2 more
Not suitable for (5)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Under-Sink Filter
Waterdrop G3P600 Tankless Reverse-Osmosis System
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFHxS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 2 more
Not suitable for (5)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Refrigerator Filter
Whirlpool Filter 3 Refrigerator Water Filter (WHR3RXD1)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFHxS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 2 more
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Water Pitcher
Culligan ZeroWater 10-Cup Pitcher (ZEROP10)
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS and 4 more
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Faucet Attachment
Faucet-Mount Filter
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS and 4 more
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Under-Sink Filter
Under-Sink Carbon Block Filter
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS and 4 more
Not suitable for (4)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Augusta tap water safe to drink?
PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For Augusta, PFOS 51 ng/L (limit 4 ng/L), PFOA 29.9 ng/L (limit 4 ng/L) and PFHxS 51.2 ng/L (limit 10 ng/L) were measured above their limits in EPA's 2024 testing; the lead 90th-percentile result was 1.4 µg/L against the 15 µg/L action level. AUGUSTA-RICHMOND CO WS (PWSID GA2450000) has a Purity Score of 55/100 (confidence: moderate), assessed at the water-system level and computed only from contaminants that were measured. Water can change in your own pipes, so a certified test is the only way to know what comes out of your tap.
Who provides tap water in Augusta?
AUGUSTA-RICHMOND CO WS (PWS ID GA2450000) is the public water system on record for Augusta, Georgia, serving about 204,000 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding.
Where does Augusta get its drinking water?
Surface water (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS).
Are PFAS "forever chemicals" in Augusta's water?
Yes. In EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18), PFOS was measured at 51 ng/L against a 4 ng/L federal limit, PFOA was measured at 29.9 ng/L against a 4 ng/L federal limit and PFHxS was measured at 51.2 ng/L against a 10 ng/L federal limit. PFBS (5.9 ng/L, below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory) and PFHxA (9 ng/L, below the 400,000 ng/L state limit) were also detected. PFPeA (3 ng/L) and PFPeS (5.4 ng/L) were also detected; they have no federal or state limit. Reverse osmosis and filters certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS reduce them at the tap.
Is there lead in Augusta's tap water?
AUGUSTA-RICHMOND CO WS's most recent lead 90th-percentile result (2023–2025) was 1.4 µg/L, below the 15 µg/L action level. That figure comes from sampled homes; lead usually enters from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so only a test at your tap tells you what you drink.
What does the latest Augusta water report show?
PurityMap's current record for Augusta holds 31 findings: 3 above a reference, 3 detected within the reference, 2 detected with no limit and 23 not detected. Each finding links to its dated public record; a parameter that was never monitored is shown as pending, not as a pass.
Follow this water
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Sources and dataAll 31 records and their sourcesEPA UCMR 5 · EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule)
23 other contaminants tested — none detected
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
- Result
- 51 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
- Result
- 29.9 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
- Result
- 51.2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
- Result
- 1.4 µg/L
- Benchmark
- 15 µg/L federal action level
- Sampled
- 2023–2025 monitoring period
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)
- Result
- 5.9 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
- Result
- 9 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)
- Result
- 5.4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
- Result
- 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
23 other contaminants tested — none detected
11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS)
- Result
- < 2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
- Result
- < 9 µg/L
- Benchmark
- 10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA)
- Result
- < 6 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)
- Result
- < 20 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)
- Result
- < 8 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)
- Result
- < 7 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)
- Result
- < 2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-06-22 to 2024-03-18
Every value is the published result from the cited public record. A reporting limit is the lowest level the method could reliably quantify; a non-detect is not a guarantee of zero.
UCMR5 Analytical Results
UCMR5 Analytical Results: AUGUSTA-RICHMOND CO WS (GA2450000)
US EPA
State SDWIS Compliance Record
Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: AUGUSTA-RICHMOND CO WS (GA2450000)
US EPA SDWIS
Methodology: how we analyze water. Prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the PurityMap Editorial Team before publication.
Something off with your water's smell, color or taste?
Start with the hot-or-cold tap check. Where Augusta-Richmond Co WS reported something related, it's shown below.
- Rotten-egg smell
- Cloudy or milky water
- Chlorine smell
- Brown or yellow water
- Metallic taste
Lead at Augusta-Richmond Co WS: 1.4 µg/L (90th percentile, 2023–2025 monitoring period). Lead has no taste, so a taste neither shows nor rules it out.