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Community Water System · PWS PR0003824

Ponce Urbano

Ponce, Puerto Rico 00731 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 111,926 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

111,926
People served
2,210
EPA violations
263
Health-based
8 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 2,210 drinking-water violations at Ponce Urbano, 12% of them health-based - above the Puerto Rico per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 8 PFAS compounds.

2,210
Total EPA violations on record
12%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
111,926
People served by this system
8
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Ponce Urbano

Ponce Urbano is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 111,926 residents in Ponce, Puerto Rico (Penuelas Municipio County) through 41,920 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 2,210 total violations for this system , of which 263 (12%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 1,920 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2024.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is CARBON, TOTAL, recorded in 111 violations (TT, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 8 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 25.6 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Puerto Rico, EPA tracks 458 public water systems serving 3,328,141 people, with 164,144 cumulative violations and 34,657 health-based violations on record. About 100% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 358.4 violations. Statewide, 40 of 99 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (40.4%).

Ponce Urbano's 2,210 violations sit above the Puerto Rico 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

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

Population Served
111,926
Total Violations
2,210
Health-Based Violations
263
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
41,920
County
Penuelas Municipio
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
88
Monitoring Violations
1,920
Treatment Tech Violations
175

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
CARBON, TOTAL TT 111 2019
Xylenes, Total MR 69 2019
o-Dichlorobenzene MR 69 2019
p-Dichlorobenzene MR 69 2019
Vinyl chloride MR 69 2019
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 69 2019
1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 69 2019
Carbon tetrachloride MR 69 2019
Trichloroethylene MR 69 2019
CHLOROBENZENE MR 69 2019
Benzene MR 69 2019
Toluene MR 69 2019
Ethylbenzene MR 69 2019
Styrene MR 69 2019
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 69 2019
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 69 2019
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 69 2019
1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 69 2019
Tetrachloroethylene MR 69 2019
DICHLOROMETHANE MR 69 2019
1,2-Dichloropropane MR 69 2019
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 69 2019
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 57 2024
Mercury MR 53 2022
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL 40 2019
E. COLI MR 40 2017
Cryptosporidium MR 34 2017
Turbidity MR 34 2017
TTHM MCL 33 2019
Nitrate MR 27 2024

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 82 of 1508 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFOA 9/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 9/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 9/25/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/25/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 9/25/2023 10.70 ppt 4.00 ppt Detected
PFNA 9/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 9/25/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 9/25/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 9/25/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 9/25/2023 6.30 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFHpS 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 9/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 9/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 9/25/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 9/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 9/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 9/19/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 9/19/2023 16.70 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFHpA 9/19/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 9/19/2023 6.40 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
NMeFOSAA 9/19/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 9/19/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 9/19/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 9/19/2023 25.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Detected
PFTA 9/19/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 9/19/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 9/19/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 9/19/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 9/19/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 9/19/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 9/19/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 9/19/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 9/19/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/19/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 9/19/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 9/19/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/19/2023 <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 Ponce Urbano.

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 PR0003824 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Puerto Rico Drinking Water Authority

Puerto Rico'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 PR 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
2024 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 57 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 0300
2024 Nitrate MR 27 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 1040
2022 Mercury MR 53 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 1035
2022 Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 10 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 0200
2022 Barium MR 7 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 1010
2022 Chromium MR 7 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 1020
2022 Selenium MR 7 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 1045
2022 Cadmium MR 7 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 1015
2022 Arsenic MR 7 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 1005
2022 Antimony, Total MR 5 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 1074
2022 Thallium, Total MR 5 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 1085
2022 Beryllium, Total MR 5 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 1075
2022 CYANIDE MR 4 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 1024
2020 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 4 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 7000
2019 CARBON, TOTAL TT 111 SDWIS / PR0003824 / 2920

How Ponce Urbano Compares

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

Metric Ponce Urbano Puerto Rico avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 2,210 358.4 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 263 75.7 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 8 compounds 40.4% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 111,926 7,267 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 458 regulated public water systems in Puerto Rico.

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 Ponce Urbano water safe to drink? ▼
Ponce Urbano (PWS ID: PR0003824) has 2210 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 8 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 111,926 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Ponce Urbano serve? ▼
Ponce Urbano serves 111,926 people in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 41,920 service connections.
What type of violations does Ponce Urbano have? ▼
Ponce Urbano has 2,210 total violations: 263 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 1,920 monitoring/reporting violations, and 175 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Ponce Urbano water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 8 PFAS compounds in Ponce Urbano's water supply: PFOS, PFBS, PFHxS, PFBA, PFPeA, and others. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Ponce Urbano use? ▼
Ponce Urbano 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.