PFOS
5× the limitPerfluorooctanesulfonic acid
20ng/L
Each block = 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
EPA UCMR 5 · sampled 2023Evidence
City water report · 2026
Is Reno 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); lithium sits above a screening level. Truckee Meadows Water Authority serves 442,000 residents.
Listed match
TRUCKEE MEADOWS WATER AUTHORITY serves Reno
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.
- TRUCKEE MEADOWS WATER AUTHORITYThis reportNV0000190 · 442,000 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.
PFHxS
1.5× the limitPerfluorohexanesulfonic acid
15ng/L
Each block = 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
EPA UCMR 5 · sampled 2023Evidence
PFOA
1.4× the limitPerfluorooctanoic acid
5.5ng/L
Each block = 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
EPA UCMR 5 · sampled 2023Evidence
Coverage by group
31 results on record- PFAS (forever chemicals)3 above · 5 detected · 21 not detected
- Metals & lead1 not detected
- Disinfection by-productsNot monitored
- Other1 above
Every detected result
9 detected results, by distance from their limit
TRUCKEE MEADOWS WATER AUTHORITY (EPA PWSID NV0000190) delivers surface water to 442,000 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.
- LithiumEPA UCMR 5 · 202310 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)100µg/LAbove screening
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)EPA UCMR 5 · 20234.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)20ng/LAbove limit
- Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)EPA UCMR 5 · 202310 ng/L federal MCL (2024)15ng/LAbove limit
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)EPA UCMR 5 · 20234.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)5.5ng/LAbove limit
- Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)EPA UCMR 5 · 20232,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)5.7ng/LWithin reference
- Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)12ng/LWithin reference
- Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023No federal or state limit; shown for transparency6.8ng/LDetected · no limit
- Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023No federal or state limit; shown for transparency3.9ng/LDetected · no limit
- Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023No federal or state limit; shown for transparency13ng/LDetected · no limit
22 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
- PFDA
- PFDoA
- PFEESA
- PFHpS
- PFMBA
- PFMPA
- PFNA
- PFPeS
- PFTA
- PFTrDA
- PFUnA
- Lead (90th percentile)
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
A tap test can confirm levels at your home before you choose treatment.
Certified labHow to test your tap → - 02 · Treat PFASReverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS
PFOS 20 ng/L, above the 4 ng/L limit (+7 more PFAS detected)
NSF/ANSI 58 or 53, with PFHxS/PFOA/PFOS/PFBS/PFHxA/PFBA/PFHpA/PFPeA named on the listingTreatment for PFAS → - 03 · LithiumDepends on the contaminant
Lithium 100 µg/L, above the 10.0 µg/L EPA health reference level
The certifier's listing for each named contaminantTreatment for Lithium →
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
Watersafe Drinking Water Test Kit
Silver Lake Research
Lead, bacteria, nitrate, copper, iron, chlorine, hardness and pH
- Turnaround: Minutes; the bacteria test can take up to 48 hours
What it can't tell you: Each test gives a yes/no or a rough range, not a lab number, and it cannot detect PFAS or arsenic.
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 Reno 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
- Not established: PFHxS, Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and 4 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
- Not established: PFHxS, Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) 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
See all 6 products certified for a Reno concern →
Countertop System
AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse-Osmosis Purifier (AT2000)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFHxS, Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) 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 Reverse-Osmosis System
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFHxS, Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and 4 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
- Not established: PFHxS, Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and 4 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
- Not established: PFHxS, Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) 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
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Reno tap water safe to drink?
PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For Reno, PFOS 20 ng/L (limit 4 ng/L), PFHxS 15 ng/L (limit 10 ng/L) and PFOA 5.5 ng/L (limit 4 ng/L) were measured above their limits in EPA's 2024 testing. TRUCKEE MEADOWS WATER AUTHORITY (PWSID NV0000190) has a Purity Score of 57/100 (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 Reno?
TRUCKEE MEADOWS WATER AUTHORITY (PWS ID NV0000190) is the public water system on record for Reno, Nevada, serving about 442,000 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding.
Where does Reno get its drinking water?
Surface water (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS).
Are PFAS "forever chemicals" in Reno's water?
Yes. In EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02), PFOS was measured at 20 ng/L against a 4 ng/L federal limit, PFHxS was measured at 15 ng/L against a 10 ng/L federal limit and PFOA was measured at 5.5 ng/L against a 4 ng/L federal limit. PFBS (5.7 ng/L, below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory) and PFHxA (12 ng/L, below the 400,000 ng/L state limit) were also detected. PFBA (6.8 ng/L), PFHpA (3.9 ng/L) and PFPeA (13 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 Reno's tap water?
Lead is not in Reno'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.
What does the latest Reno water report show?
PurityMap's current record for Reno holds 31 findings: 4 above a reference, 2 detected within the reference, 3 detected with no limit and 22 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
Follow Reno's water
One email when a new sampling round is published, a result moves above or below its reference, or the system's score changes.
Double opt-in: we email a confirmation link. Unsubscribe anytime. No spam.
Sources and dataAll 31 records and their sourcesEPA UCMR 5 · EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule)
22 other contaminants tested — none detected
- Result
- 100 µg/L
- Benchmark
- 10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
- Sampled
- 2023-01-11 to 2025-09-02
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
- Result
- 20 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
- Result
- 15 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
- Result
- 5.5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)
- Result
- 5.7 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
- Result
- 12 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
- Result
- 6.8 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)
- Result
- 3.9 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
- Result
- 13 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
22 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
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS)
- Result
- < 2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
- Result
- Non-Detect (ND)
- Benchmark
- 15 µg/L federal action level
- Sampled
- 2023–2025 monitoring period
N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-11 to 2025-09-02
N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA)
- Result
- < 6 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-11 to 2025-09-02
Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)
- Result
- < 20 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)
- Result
- < 8 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-11 to 2025-09-02
Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)
- Result
- < 7 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-11 to 2025-09-02
Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)
- Result
- < 2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-01-17 to 2025-09-02
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: TRUCKEE MEADOWS WATER AUTHORITY (NV0000190)
US EPA
State SDWIS Compliance Record
Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: TRUCKEE MEADOWS WATER AUTHORITY (NV0000190)
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 Truckee Meadows Water Authority reported something related, it's shown below.
- Rotten-egg smell
- Cloudy or milky water
- Chlorine smell
- Brown or yellow water
- Metallic taste
Lead at Truckee Meadows Water Authority: not detected (90th percentile, 2023–2025 monitoring period). Lead has no taste, so a taste neither shows nor rules it out.