Not health advice. Contact your local water utility for concerns.
Data from EPA Water Quality Reports. For official information, contact your water utility or health department.
EPA records for POCATELLO CITY OF • Updated October 2026
Grade B — based on EPA compliance records, lead testing and PFAS monitoring
POCATELLO CITY OF is in good standing with EPA, with only minor deductions for monitoring paperwork, low-level PFAS or historical readings near a limit.
Yes — by EPA's records Pocatello, ID tap water is safe to drink and earns a B. The grade rests on 1 health-based EPA violation in the last five years and lead at 5 ppb (90th percentile) — under the 15 ppb action level but above 5 ppb. Lead from your own service line or plumbing is the main risk city-level data cannot see, so homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
Yes — by EPA's records Pocatello, ID tap water is safe to drink and earns a B. The grade rests on 1 health-based EPA violation in the last five years and lead at 5 ppb (90th percentile) — under the 15 ppb action level but above 5 ppb. Lead from your own service line or plumbing is the main risk city-level data cannot see, so homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
POCATELLO CITY OF's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2026-01-01 to 2026-06-30) was 5 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 348 UCMR5 PFAS results for POCATELLO CITY OF (2024-02-15 to 2024-09-16) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
POCATELLO CITY OF has 438 violations on file since 2016: 1 health-based in the last five years and 2 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
POCATELLO CITY OF reports groundwater as its primary source and serves about 58,231 people (EPA PWSID ID6030043).
We recommend one. An NSF/ANSI 53 lead-certified filter addresses lead.
Compare filter options for your Pocatello tap water
POCATELLO CITY OF has 1 health-based EPA violation in the last five years.
See the filters matched to Pocatello's EPA results → — which certification actually removes what was found here, and what it does not touch.
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POCATELLO CITY OF · SDWIS records since 2016 · 5-year window starts 2021-09-13
EPA records 1 health-based violation for this system in the last five years, all of which are marked resolved or archived. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or a required treatment step was not met.
| Violation | Category | Compliance period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageNitrate | MCL exceeded | 2021-10-01 → 2021-12-31 | Resolvedreturned 2021-12-31 |
| Monitoring and Reporting (DBP)Chlorine | Monitoring & reporting | 2025-04-01 → 2025-04-30 | Archived |
| Monitoring, Source Water (GWR)E. COLI | Monitoring & reporting | 2023-10-09 | Resolvedreturned 2024-10-16 |
| Monitoring, RegularEndrin | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularToxaphene | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularDalapon | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularDiquat | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularGlyphosate | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularDi(2-ethylhexyl) adipate | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularSimazine | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularPicloram | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularHexachlorocyclopentadiene | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularCarbofuran | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularLASSO | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularHeptachlor | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularHeptachlor epoxide | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, Regular2,4-D | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, Regular2,4,5-TP | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularHEXACHLOROBENZENE | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, Regular1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularTotal Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularETHYLENE DIBROMIDE | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularEndrin | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularMethoxychlor | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
| Monitoring, RegularDalapon | Monitoring & reporting | 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | Archived |
Showing 25 of 438 violations on file. Full record on EPA ECHO.
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_VIOLATIONS_ENFORCEMENT.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-13)
EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile results reported by POCATELLO CITY OF
Below the action level, but detectable. In the most recent monitoring period on file (2026-01-01 to 2026-06-30), 90% of the homes POCATELLO CITY OF sampled had lead at or below 5 ppb.
EPA's action level is 15 ppb (dropping to 10 ppb under the 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements). There is no safe level of lead; the 90th-percentile figure describes the system, not your tap — homes with lead service lines or pre-1986 plumbing can be higher.
| Monitoring period | Lead 90th percentile | vs 15 ppb action level |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 → 2026-06-30 | 5 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2020-01-01 → 2022-12-31 | 2 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | 4 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2014-01-01 → 2016-12-31 | 3 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2011-01-01 → 2013-12-31 | 6 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2008-01-01 → 2010-12-31 | 5 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2005-01-01 → 2007-12-31 | 6 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2002-01-01 → 2004-12-31 | 5 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2001-01-01 → 2001-12-31 | 8 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2000-01-01 → 2000-06-30 | 5 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 1999-07-01 → 1999-12-31 | 6 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 1993-01-01 → 1993-06-30 | 5.4 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_LCR_SAMPLES.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-13)
EPA UCMR5 monitoring, 2024-02-15 to 2024-09-16 · 348 PFAS results at entry points to the distribution system
No PFAS detected. None of the 348 UCMR5 PFAS results for POCATELLO CITY OF were at or above the method reporting limit. Reporting limits are about 3–5 ppt, so “not detected” means below that threshold — not proven zero.
| Compound | Detects / samples | Max (ppt) | Reporting limit | EPA MCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 0 / 12 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS | 0 / 12 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS | 0 / 12 | < 3 | 3 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFNA | 0 / 12 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA | 0 / 12 | < 5 | 5 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFBS | 0 / 12 | < 3 | 3 ppt | hazard index only |
“< 4 ppt” means below the laboratory reporting limit, not zero. ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). Results are for finished water leaving the treatment plant.
Lithium (also monitored under UCMR5, not a PFAS): detected in 12 of 12 samples, max 42.3 µg/L. There is no federal limit for lithium.
What PFAS are and how to remove them →
Source: UCMR5 occurrence data, EPA Data Summary July 2026 (UCMR5_All.txt)
EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance samples for POCATELLO CITY OF · finished water only · dated data, released 2024
These are the regulated-contaminant samples POCATELLO CITY OF reported to its state between 2012 and 2019 — the most recent nationwide sample-level dataset EPA has published. Nitrate (as N) is flagged below; the status column explains why. Treat this as history, not today's tap water.
| Contaminant | Samples | Average | Max | EPA limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | 1716 detects | 1.529 µg/L | 2 µg/L | 10 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Nitrate (as N) | 252249 detects | 4.629 mg/L | 11.93 mg/L | 10 mg/LMCL | 3 of 252 samples over MCL |
| Fluoride | 1711 detects | 0.147 mg/L | 0.3 mg/L | 4 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Chromium (total) | 175 detects | 0.706 µg/L | 8 µg/L | 100 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Uranium (combined) | 34 | 1.853 µg/L | 3.07 µg/L | 30 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Radium-226/228 | 20 | 0.756 pCi/L | 3.74 pCi/L | 5 pCi/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Gross alpha | 2712 detects | 1.507 pCi/L | 8.11 pCi/L | 15 pCi/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) | 177134 detects | 8.285 µg/L | 23.9 µg/L | 80 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) | 128118 detects | 2.666 µg/L | 16 µg/L | 60 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
Averages count non-detects as zero. TTHM and HAA5 limits are locational running annual averages, so a single high sample is not a violation — we grade those on the average only. Lead and copper rows are individual tap samples and are shown for context; compliance (and our score) uses the 90th-percentile result above. LRAA = locational running annual average; ND = not detected.
Source: SYR4 Six-Year Review compliance monitoring data 2012–2019 (released 2024-03)
A point-of-use (under-sink) system typically runs $200-$600 installed; whole-house treatment $1,000-$3,000+ depending on flow and what has to come out. Tell us where you are and a certified water-treatment installer serving Pocatello will follow up - no obligation.
POCATELLO CITY OF · 21,030 service lines inventoried · Q2 2026 snapshot
POCATELLO CITY OF reports no lead or galvanized-requiring-replacement service lines and has classified 100% of its 21,030 lines as non-lead. Lead can still come from pre-1986 plumbing and fixtures inside a home.
Source: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory (Q2 2026) · PWS ID ID6030043 · See all Idaho lead service lines. We may earn a commission from filters and test kits, at no extra cost to you.
Groundwater systems draw from wells; naturally occurring arsenic, nitrate, radium and uranium are the readings to watch, along with PFAS near industrial or military sites.
How to test your tap water and the treatment options that actually fit Pocatello homes
The most reliable way to know what is actually coming out of your tap is a certified mail-in lab test. City-wide EPA data (like the report above) reflects the water leaving the treatment plant, but contaminants such as lead and copper can be picked up from your own service line and household plumbing — so the water at your Pocatello faucet can differ from the system average. A state-certified lab measures dozens of contaminants at once with results you can trust; you can also find one near you through the EPA's certified-lab list at epa.gov/dwlabcert. Hardware-store test strips are cheaper and instant, but they only screen for a few basics (chlorine, hardness, pH, and a rough lead pass/fail) and are far less accurate — treat them as a first look, not a diagnosis.
Match the treatment to what your test finds. Reverse osmosis (RO) removes the widest range of contaminants — lead, arsenic, nitrate, PFAS, and dissolved solids — which makes an under-sink reverse osmosis system the most thorough choice for Pocatello households with heavy-metal or PFAS concerns. If your main issue is taste, odor, or chlorine, an activated carbon filter (pitcher, faucet, or under-sink) is simpler and cheaper and handles chlorine and many organic compounds well, though carbon alone does not remove arsenic, nitrate, or most PFAS. NSF-certified pitchers rated for lead reduction are the easiest way to start today while you decide on a permanent setup.
We may earn a commission from testing kits and filters purchased through these links, at no extra cost to you.
What Pocatello residents measured at their own tap (ZIPs 83201, 83209). All reader results →
Reader submissions are unverified and shown separately from EPA data. They reflect one tap on one day, not the utility's compliance record.
No reader results for Pocatello yet - yours would be the first. A hardness or TDS number from a $10 strip kit is enough to start the map.
Help build the first reader-sourced water map. Enter whatever your test strip, TDS pen or lab report shows - one number is enough.
Pocatello ranks #17 of 20 graded Idaho cities.
Deep-dive guides for the specific contaminants EPA data flagged in Pocatello's water, with removal options for each.
Yes — by EPA's records Pocatello, ID tap water is safe to drink and earns a B. The grade rests on 1 health-based EPA violation in the last five years and lead at 5 ppb (90th percentile) — under the 15 ppb action level but above 5 ppb. Lead from your own service line or plumbing is the main risk city-level data cannot see, so homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
POCATELLO CITY OF's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2026-01-01 to 2026-06-30) was 5 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 348 UCMR5 PFAS results for POCATELLO CITY OF (2024-02-15 to 2024-09-16) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
POCATELLO CITY OF has 438 violations on file since 2016: 1 health-based in the last five years and 2 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
POCATELLO CITY OF reports groundwater as its primary source and serves about 58,231 people (EPA PWSID ID6030043).
We recommend one. An NSF/ANSI 53 lead-certified filter addresses lead.
POCATELLO CITY OF has 1 health-based EPA violation in the last five years.
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Based on contaminants detected in your water, these resources may be helpful:
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Tap water is one piece of the picture — our sister sites cover the rest for Pocatello, ID.
Predicted indoor radon by ZIP vs. the EPA 4 pCi/L action level.
Arsenic and nitrate risk for homes on a well instead of city water.
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