Is Kent Tap Water Safe to Drink?
Short answer: In the 2022–2025 records we hold for Kent, no listed result is above a legal limit. Also worth knowing: the water is moderately hard. 2 substances were detected and 30 were tested and not detected. The water is from Kent Water Department, serving 166,421 residents.
- Year 2026
- Utility Kent Water Department
- Coverage 32 records
- Updated 2026-10-15
Where Kent’s water comes from
- Utility
- Kent Water Department
- Water system
- KENT WATER DEPARTMENT · WA5338150
- Source water
- Surface water
- Disinfectant
- not on record
- Population served
- 166,421
- Reporting period
- Sampled 2022–2025
- Monitoring coverage
- 32 records · 3 of 4 groups measured
- Your water utility
- Kent Water Department: contact and record
Your water bill or annual water quality report names your actual supplier.
- KENT WATER DEPARTMENTThis reportWA5338150 · 166,421 served
- 1Source
Surface water
- 2Treatment
The treatment details are not on record.
- 3Distribution
Mains, then your building’s service line.
- 4Your tap
Plumbing inside the building is outside this record.
Kent water in four numbers
No measured result is above a legal limit; the water is moderately hard.
2 detected results
Each bar runs to the named reference; the tick marks it. Open a row for five layers: measured, compared, meaning, where it matters, what to do.Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)Within reference · Screening level2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)3.5ng/L
3.5 ng/L, sampled 2025-01-27 to 2025-12-04. EPA UCMR 5.
2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit).
Detected at up to 3.5 ng/L (below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory; a screening level, not a legal limit).
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBS named on the listing).
Water hardnessWithin reference · Aesthetic, no health limitAesthetic, no federal health limit5gpg
5 gpg, sampled 2025. Utility CCR.
Aesthetic, no federal health limit.
46.7–123 mg/L as CaCO3 (2.7–7.2 grains/gal) across the system; moderately hard at the midpoint (85 mg/L). Aesthetic (scale/appliances), not a health finding.
Shows up as scale in kettles, water heaters and fixtures.
Test your own tap first. Technologies that can reduce it: Ion-exchange water softener, Salt-free conditioner, Reverse osmosis (point-of-use).
30 others tested, none detectedshow
- 11Cl-PF3OUdS
- 8:2 FTS
- 4:2 FTS
- 6:2 FTS
- ADONA
- 9Cl-PF3ONS
- HFPO-DA (GenX)
- Lead (90th percentile)
- Lithium
- NEtFOSAA
- NMeFOSAA
- NFDHA
- PFEESA
- PFMPA
- PFMBA
- PFBA
- PFDA
- PFDoA
- PFHpS
- PFHpA
- PFHxS
- PFHxA
- PFNA
- PFOS
- PFOA
- PFPeS
- PFPeA
- PFTA
- PFTrDA
- PFUnA
KENT WATER DEPARTMENT (EPA PWSID WA5338150) delivers surface water to 166,421 residents. This report reflects 29 individual PFAS result(s) from the source UCMR5 observations and the latest Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile result. The utility's 2025 CCR reports moderately hard water.
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.
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.
Your tap can differ from the city record
The record describes water leaving treatment and samples across the system. Pipes, solder and fixtures inside a building can add lead the record can’t see, especially in older buildings with lead service lines.
Test your water- CityTreated water
Measured in this report
- MainsDistribution network
Sampled across the system
- BuildingService line and plumbing
Not in this record
- TapYour glass
Only a tap test measures it
Three steps from a record to your glass
- 01Test
Know what comes from your tap, starting with a first-draw lead sample.
- 02Match
Compare each result with its named reference in our test reader.
- 03Treat
Choose a technology certified for what your test found.
What can reduce what was found here
Finding → technology → certification → product, in that order. The reference type carries the meaning; there is no severity score.| Finding | Reference type | Technology | Certification to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)3.5 ng/L | Screening level | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBS named on the listing |
| Water hardness5 gpg | Aesthetic, no health limit | Ion-exchange water softener, Salt-free conditioner, Reverse osmosis (point-of-use) | Check the certifier’s listing |
Filters for the PFAS found in Kent water
Affiliate linksPurityMap earns a commission from these links. "Best choice" and "Budget pick" go to certified products first; commission never decides them. Affiliate disclosure★ Best available: Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under-Sink Filter (AQ-6300M), the best fit here; nothing in this group is certified yet.
| Pick | Product | Details and price | Certification | Why it’s listed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Best available | Under-sinkAquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under-Sink Filter (AQ-6300M) | Price$$ | Not certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
| Also good | CountertopAquasana Clean Water Machine Countertop Filter (AQ-CWM2) | Price$$ | Not certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
| Also good | Reverse osmosisSmartFlow® Reverse Osmosis | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$ | Not certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
See all 8 drinking-water options for PFAS
| Pick | Product | Details and price | Certification | Why it’s listed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also good | Reverse osmosisiSpring RCC7AK Alkaline Reverse Osmosis SystemUse code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order. | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | See the evidence | Check price at iSpring |
| Also good | Reverse osmosisiSpring RO5004F Tankless Reverse Osmosis System with UVUse code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order. | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | See the evidence | Check price at iSpring |
| Also good | Reverse osmosisWaterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis System | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$ | Not certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | See the evidence | Check price at Waterdrop |
| Also good | Reverse osmosisWaterdrop G3P800 Tankless Reverse Osmosis System | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$ | Not certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | See the evidence | Check price at Waterdrop |
| Also good | Reverse osmosisWaterdrop X12 Reverse Osmosis System | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | See the evidence | Check price at Waterdrop |
★ Best available: iSpring WGB32B-PFKS PFAS & Heavy Metals Whole House Filter, the best fit here; nothing in this group is certified yet.
| Pick | Product | Details and price | Certification | Why it’s listed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Best available | Whole-houseiSpring WGB32B-PFKS PFAS & Heavy Metals Whole House FilterUse code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order. | Price$$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | See the evidence | Check price at iSpring |
| Also good | Whole-houseHealthShield™ | Price$$$$ | Not certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
PurityMap earns a commission from these links. "Best choice" and "Budget pick" go to certified products first; commission never decides them. Affiliate disclosure.
Choose your situation
Older buildings may have lead service lines, solder or fixtures. Lead is not in Kent’s published record, so only a tap test tells you. Test first-draw water, then filter if needed.
1 of 29 PFAS tested was detected in Kent’s record (PFBS 3.5 ng/L). If PFAS matters to you, a filter certification names each compound it covers.
Most utilities keep chlorine or chloramine in the pipes. A carbon filter certified for taste and odor reduces either; your utility can tell you which it uses.
Scale is a comfort and appliance issue, not a health one.
Reverse osmosis reduces many dissolved contaminants, including lead and minerals, at a single faucet, with some water sent to drain.
Kent tap water FAQ
Get one email when Kent’s record changes.
One email when a new sampling round is published, a result moves above or below its reference, or the system's score changes.Is Kent tap water safe to drink?
PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For Kent, PFAS were detected below their limits. KENT WATER DEPARTMENT (PWSID WA5338150) has a Purity Score of 100/100 (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. What we found →
Who provides tap water in Kent?
KENT WATER DEPARTMENT (PWS ID WA5338150) is the public water system on record for Kent, Washington, serving about 166,421 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding. Water utility →
Where does Kent get its drinking water?
Surface water (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS). Water utility →
Are PFAS "forever chemicals" in Kent's water?
In EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2025-01-27 to 2025-12-04), PFBS was detected at 3.5 ng/L, below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory. What we found →
Is there lead in Kent's tap water?
Lead is not in Kent's current published record. Lead usually enters from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so a certified home test is the way to know yours. Your household →
What does the latest Kent water report show?
PurityMap's current record for Kent holds 32 findings: 2 detected within the reference and 30 not detected. Each finding links to its dated public record; a parameter that was never monitored is shown as pending, not as a pass. Records →
Is Kent's water hard?
Kent's water is recorded as 5 gpg, moderately hard. Hardness is an aesthetic and plumbing characteristic, not a health-based limit. Choose your situation →
32 records, each traceable
- EPA UCMR 5
- EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule)
- Utility CCR
| Contaminant | Measured | Reference | Sampled | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | 3.5 ng/L | 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit) | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Water hardness | 5 gpg | Aesthetic, no federal health limit | 2025 | Utility CCR ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| 11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS) | < 5 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS) | < 5 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS) | < 5 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| 4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| 9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS) | < 2 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals) | < 5 ng/L (not detected) | 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Lead (90th percentile) | Not detected | 15 µg/L federal action level | 2022–2024 | EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule) ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Lithium | < 9 µg/L (not detected) | 10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit) | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA) | < 5 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA) | < 6 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA) | < 20 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA) | < 4 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) | < 5 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | 400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state) | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) | < 4 ng/L (not detected) | 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) | < 4 ng/L (not detected) | 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | < 4 ng/L (not detected) | 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS) | < 4 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA) | < 8 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) | < 7 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA) | < 2 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2025 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
UCMR5 Analytical Results
UCMR5 Analytical Results: KENT WATER DEPARTMENT (WA5338150)
US EPA
State SDWIS Compliance Record
Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: KENT WATER DEPARTMENT (WA5338150)
US EPA SDWIS
Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
City of Kent 2025 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
City of Kent
Methodology: how we analyze water. Prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the PurityMap Editorial Team before publication.
How PurityMap reads Kent’s water
- 01Source data
EPA SDWIS, EPA UCMR 5 and utility reports, each dated and linked.
- 02Normalize
Units converted to one basis; a non-detect kept distinct from zero.
- 03Classify
Each result tagged by reference type: MCL, action level, screening level or aesthetic.
- 04Compare to the named reference
Every value sits against its own reference, never a blended one.
- 05Score
Measured subjects summarised at the water-system level; an open health-based violation caps the score.
- 06Match treatment
Treatment is matched to what was found; a product is called certified only when its current certification names it.
What the Purity Score means: a summary of this water system’s published record, capped while a health-based violation is open. It is not a test of any tap. KENT WATER DEPARTMENT · PWSID WA5338150 · Purity Score 100/100 (Excellent) · Confidence: moderate · Assessed at the water-system level
Full methodology →Something off with your water's smell, color or taste?
Start with the hot-or-cold tap check. Where Kent Water Department reported something related, it's shown below.
- Rotten-egg smell
- Cloudy or milky water
- Chlorine smell
- Brown or yellow water
- Metallic taste
Lead at Kent Water Department: not detected (90th percentile, 2022–2024 monitoring period). Lead has no taste, so a taste neither shows nor rules it out.