PlainWater

Community Water System · PWS KS2012103

Paola, City Of

Paola, Kansas 66071-0409 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 5,786 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

5,786
People served
96
EPA violations
24
Health-based
3 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 96 drinking-water violations at Paola, City Of, 25% of them health-based - above the Kansas per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 3 PFAS compounds.

96
Total EPA violations on record
25%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
5,786
People served by this system
3
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Paola, City Of

Paola, City Of is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 5,786 residents in Paola, Kansas (Miami County) through 2,177 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 96 total violations for this system , of which 24 (25%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 65 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2023.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is TTHM, recorded in 20 violations (MCL, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 3 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 10.9 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%).

Paola, City Of's 96 violations sit above 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

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

Population Served
5,786
Total Violations
96
Health-Based Violations
24
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
2,177
County
Miami
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
24
Monitoring Violations
65
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
TTHM MCL 20 2015
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 6 1989
Vinyl chloride MR 6 1989
Lead and Copper Rule MR 6 2017
Benzene MR 6 1989
p-Dichlorobenzene MR 6 1989
Carbon tetrachloride MR 6 1989
1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 6 1989
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 6 1989
Coliform (TCR) MR 5 2007
Trichloroethylene MR 4 1989
Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 4 2023
Chlorine MR 4 2023
Coliform (TCR) MCL 4 2009
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 1 2000

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 3 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFBS 7/17/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 7/17/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 7/17/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 7/17/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 7/17/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/17/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 7/17/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 7/17/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 7/17/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 7/17/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 7/17/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 7/17/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 7/17/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 7/17/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/17/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/17/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 7/17/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 7/17/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/17/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/17/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 7/17/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 7/17/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/17/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/17/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/17/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 7/17/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/17/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/17/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 7/17/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 4/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 4/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 4/10/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 4/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 4/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 4/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 4/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 4/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 4/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 4/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 4/10/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 4/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 4/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 4/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 4/10/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 4/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 4/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 4/10/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 4/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 4/10/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 4/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 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 Paola, 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 KS2012103 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
2023 Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 4 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 8000
2023 Chlorine MR 4 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 0999
2017 Lead and Copper Rule MR 6 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 5000
2015 TTHM MCL 20 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 2950
2009 Coliform (TCR) MCL 4 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 3100
2007 Coliform (TCR) MR 5 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 3100
2000 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 1 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 7000
1989 1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 6 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 2977
1989 Vinyl chloride MR 6 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 2976
1989 Benzene MR 6 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 2990
1989 p-Dichlorobenzene MR 6 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 2969
1989 Carbon tetrachloride MR 6 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 2982
1989 1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 6 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 2981
1989 1,2-Dichloroethane MR 6 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 2980
1989 Trichloroethylene MR 4 SDWIS / KS2012103 / 2984

How Paola, City Of Compares

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

Metric Paola, City Of Kansas avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 96 88.1 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 24 34.9 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 3 compounds 86.4% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 5,786 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 Paola, City Of water safe to drink?
Paola, City Of (PWS ID: KS2012103) has 96 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 3 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 5,786 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Paola, City Of serve?
Paola, City Of serves 5,786 people in Paola, Kansas. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 2,177 service connections.
What type of violations does Paola, City Of have?
Paola, City Of has 96 total violations: 24 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 65 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Paola, City Of water?
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 3 PFAS compounds in Paola, City Of's water supply: PFHxA, PFPeA, PFBA. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Paola, City Of use?
Paola, City Of uses Surface Water 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.