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Community Water System · PWS KS2000911

Great Bend, City Of

Great Bend, Kansas 67530 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 14,580 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

14,580
People served
78
EPA violations
31
Health-based
10 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 78 drinking-water violations at Great Bend, City Of, 40% of them health-based - below the Kansas per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 10 PFAS compounds.

78
Total EPA violations on record
40%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
14,580
People served by this system
10
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Great Bend, City Of

Great Bend, City Of is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 14,580 residents in Great Bend, Kansas (Barton County) through 6,376 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 78 total violations for this system , of which 31 (40%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 35 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2021.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Coliform (TCR), recorded in 31 violations (MCL, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 10 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 110 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Kansas, EPA tracks 957 public water systems serving 2,894,673 people, with 84,344 cumulative violations and 33,424 health-based violations on record. About 99% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 88.1 violations. Statewide, 89 of 103 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (86.4%).

Great Bend, City Of's 78 violations sit below the Kansas average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

PFAS Detected

10 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Population Served
14,580
Total Violations
78
Health-Based Violations
31
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
6,376
County
Barton
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
31
Monitoring Violations
35
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Coliform (TCR) MCL 31 2010
Coliform (TCR) MR 12 2003
Public Notice Other 6 2010
Nitrate MR 4 2020
Lead and Copper Rule MR 3 2018
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 3 2003
Benzene MR 2 1988
Carbon tetrachloride MR 2 1988
Vinyl chloride MR 2 1988
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 2 1988
Trichloroethylene MR 2 1988
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 2 1988
p-Dichlorobenzene MR 2 1988
TTHM MR 2 2021

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 44 of 580 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFDA 5/13/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 5/13/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 5/13/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 5/13/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 5/13/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 5/13/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 5/13/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 5/13/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 5/13/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 5/13/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 5/13/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 5/13/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 5/13/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 5/13/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 5/13/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 5/13/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 5/13/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 5/13/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 5/13/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 5/13/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 5/13/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 5/13/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 5/13/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 5/13/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 5/13/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 5/13/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 5/13/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 5/13/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 5/13/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 4/18/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 4/18/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 4/18/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 4/18/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 4/18/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 4/18/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 4/18/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 4/18/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 4/18/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 4/18/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 4/18/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 4/18/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 4/18/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 4/18/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 4/18/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 4/18/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 4/18/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 4/18/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 4/18/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 4/18/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 4/18/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for Great Bend, City Of.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID KS2000911 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Kansas Drinking Water Authority

Kansas's primacy agency administers the Safe Drinking Water Act locally. Search EPA SDWIS for the current state contact, or use the state's public health or environment department portal.

Find KS regulator via EPA SDWIS

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2021 TTHM MR 2 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 2950
2020 Nitrate MR 4 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 1040
2018 Lead and Copper Rule MR 3 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 5000
2010 Coliform (TCR) MCL 31 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 3100
2010 Public Notice Other 6 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 7500
2003 Coliform (TCR) MR 12 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 3100
2003 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 3 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 7000
1988 Benzene MR 2 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 2990
1988 Carbon tetrachloride MR 2 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 2982
1988 Vinyl chloride MR 2 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 2976
1988 1,2-Dichloroethane MR 2 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 2980
1988 Trichloroethylene MR 2 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 2984
1988 1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 2 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 2977
1988 p-Dichlorobenzene MR 2 SDWIS / KS2000911 / 2969

How Great Bend, City Of Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric Great Bend, City Of Kansas avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 78 88.1 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 31 34.9 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 10 compounds 86.4% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 14,580 3,025 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 957 regulated public water systems in Kansas.

Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Great Bend, City Of water safe to drink?
Great Bend, City Of (PWS ID: KS2000911) has 78 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 10 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 14,580 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does Great Bend, City Of serve?
Great Bend, City Of serves 14,580 people in Great Bend, Kansas. It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 6,376 service connections.
What type of violations does Great Bend, City Of have?
Great Bend, City Of has 78 total violations: 31 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 35 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Great Bend, City Of water?
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 10 PFAS compounds in Great Bend, City Of's water supply: PFHxS, PFBS, PFOS, PFHpA, PFHxA, and others. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Great Bend, City Of use?
Great Bend, City Of uses Groundwater as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.
Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.