U.S. Cities Where Lead Exceeds the Federal Action Level
18 water systems ranked by lead, 90th-percentile monitored result, from public EPA records (EPA SDWIS Lead & Copper Rule, 2026Q2). It ranks the published record, not which water is safest.
Troy City PWS tops this list in 2026
Troy City PWS is first, at 110.0 µg/L (lead, 90th-percentile monitored result). Indiana American Water - Wabash (38.0 µg/L), Mun Water Auth of Aliquippa (33.5 µg/L), Aurora (25.7 µg/L) and Lemont (25.0 µg/L) follow. Garden City (15.6 µg/L) and East Moline (16.0 µg/L) are last on this list.
All 18 ranked water systems
- 1Troy City PWSTroy, NYLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 2026110.0 µg/L
- 2Indiana American Water - WabashWabash, INLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 2024–202638.0 µg/L
- 3Mun Water Auth of AliquippaAliquippa, PALead & Copper Rule monitoring, 202433.5 µg/L
- 4AuroraAurora, ILLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 202625.7 µg/L
- 5LemontLemont, ILLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 202625.0 µg/L
- 6NewcastleNewcastle, OKLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 202622.5 µg/L
- 7Riverbank, City ofRiverbank, CALead & Copper Rule monitoring, 2024–202621.0 µg/L
- 8Lake ForestLake Forest, ILLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 202621.0 µg/L
- 9Quincy Water Dept. (Mwra)Quincy (mwra), MALead & Copper Rule monitoring, 202621.0 µg/L
- 10Vera Water & PowerVera Power, WALead & Copper Rule monitoring, 2023–202520.8 µg/L
- 11BartlettBartlett, ILLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 202620.0 µg/L
- 12FaribaultFaribault, MNLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 2024–202619.0 µg/L
- 13ElginElgin, ILLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 202618.5 µg/L
- 14Morton GroveMorton Grove, ILLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 202617.4 µg/L
- 15R.C. Willis Wtp (City of Palatka)Palatka, FLLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 202516.8 µg/L
- 16North Salt Lake City Water SystemNorth Salt Lake, UTLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 2023–202516.0 µg/L
- 17East MolineEast Moline, ILLead & Copper Rule monitoring, 202616.0 µg/L
- 18Garden CityGarden City, MILead & Copper Rule monitoring, 202615.6 µg/L
Marker: 15 µg/L action level. Shown: systems above the action level with a lead page. Some cities share one serving system and are listed once. Excluded water systems are not scored as favourable.
How this snapshot is built
- How this snapshot is built
From EPA SDWIS Lead & Copper Rule data, community water systems are ranked by their 90th-percentile lead result against the 15 µg/L federal action level. Only systems with a published lead finding and a city report are listed.
- Reading the order
The action level is a treatment trigger, not a health-based limit; there is no known safe level of lead. Results are monitored public-system values for the reporting period, and household plumbing can add lead at the tap regardless of the system result.
- Exclusions
0 excluded. Shown: systems above the action level with a lead page. Some cities share one serving system and are listed once.
Comparable does not mean complete.
This ranking compares water systems on one measure. It never replaces a full system report, a city-resolution check, or a certified household test, and missing monitoring is excluded, never scored as favourable.