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Community Water System · PWS KY0590220

Northern Kentucky Water District

Ft. Thomas, Kentucky 41075 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 199,460 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

199,460
People served
674
EPA violations
0
Health-based
1 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 674 drinking-water violations at Northern Kentucky Water District - above the Kentucky per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 1 PFAS compound.

674
Total EPA violations on record
0%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
199,460
People served by this system
1
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Northern Kentucky Water District

Northern Kentucky Water District is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 199,460 residents in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky (Kenton County) through 90,310 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 674 total violations for this system , of which 0 (0%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 560 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2016.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Pentachlorophenol, recorded in 28 violations (MR). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 1 PFAS compound was detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 4.5 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Kentucky, EPA tracks 424 public water systems serving 4,570,541 people, with 80,482 cumulative violations and 12,554 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 189.8 violations. Statewide, 107 of 231 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (46.3%).

Northern Kentucky Water District's 674 violations sit above the Kentucky 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

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

Population Served
199,460
Total Violations
674
Health-Based Violations
0
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
90,310
County
Kenton
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
0
Monitoring Violations
560
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Pentachlorophenol MR 28 2013
Dalapon MR 20 2005
OXAMYL MR 20 2005
Picloram MR 20 2005
Aldicarb sulfoxide MR 20 2005
Aldicarb sulfone MR 20 2005
Aldicarb MR 20 2005
Diquat MR 20 2005
Dinoseb MR 20 2005
Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) MR 20 2005
Carbofuran MR 20 2005
Chlordane MR 16 2005
Nitrate MR 12 1999
2,3,7,8-TCDD MR 12 2005
BHC-GAMMA MR 12 2005
Toxaphene MR 12 2005
Endothall MR 12 2005
Simazine MR 12 2005
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene MR 12 2005
Atrazine MR 12 2005
Heptachlor MR 12 2005
Heptachlor epoxide MR 12 2005
2,4-D MR 12 2005
2,4,5-TP MR 12 2005
HEXACHLOROBENZENE MR 12 2005
1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE MR 12 2005
ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE MR 12 2005
Methoxychlor MR 12 2005
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate MR 12 2005
LASSO MR 12 2005

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 3 of 348 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFOS 7/18/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 7/18/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/18/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/18/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/18/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 7/18/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/18/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 7/18/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/18/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 7/18/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 7/18/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 7/18/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 7/18/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 7/18/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/18/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 7/18/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 7/18/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/18/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 7/18/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 7/18/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/18/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 7/18/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 7/18/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/18/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 7/18/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 7/18/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 7/18/2023 3.10 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFHxA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 7/18/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/18/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/18/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 7/18/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 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 Northern Kentucky Water District.

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 KY0590220 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Kentucky Drinking Water Authority

Kentucky'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 KY 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
2016 Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 4 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 8000
2013 Pentachlorophenol MR 28 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2326
2007 CARBON, TOTAL MR 4 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2920
2007 TTHM MR 4 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2950
2007 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 4 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2456
2005 Dalapon MR 20 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2031
2005 OXAMYL MR 20 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2036
2005 Picloram MR 20 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2040
2005 Aldicarb sulfoxide MR 20 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2043
2005 Aldicarb sulfone MR 20 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2044
2005 Aldicarb MR 20 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2047
2005 Diquat MR 20 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2032
2005 Dinoseb MR 20 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2041
2005 Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) MR 20 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2383
2005 Carbofuran MR 20 SDWIS / KY0590220 / 2046

How Northern Kentucky Water District Compares

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

Metric Northern Kentucky Water District Kentucky avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 674 189.8 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 0 29.6 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 1 compound 46.3% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 199,460 10,780 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 424 regulated public water systems in Kentucky.

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 Northern Kentucky Water District water safe to drink? ▼
Northern Kentucky Water District (PWS ID: KY0590220) has 674 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 1 PFAS compound found. This system serves 199,460 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Northern Kentucky Water District serve? ▼
Northern Kentucky Water District serves 199,460 people in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 90,310 service connections.
What type of violations does Northern Kentucky Water District have? ▼
Northern Kentucky Water District has 674 total violations: 0 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 560 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Northern Kentucky Water District water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 1 PFAS compound in Northern Kentucky Water District's water supply: PFPeA. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Northern Kentucky Water District use? ▼
Northern Kentucky Water District 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.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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.