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Community Water System · PWS WA5323650

Ephrata Water Department

Ephrata, Washington 98823 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 8,620 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

8,620
People served
267
EPA violations
22
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 267 drinking-water violations at Ephrata Water Department, 8% of them health-based - above the Washington per-system average.

267
Total EPA violations on record
8%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
8,620
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Ephrata Water Department

Ephrata Water Department is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 8,620 residents in Ephrata, Washington (Grant County) through 3,579 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 267 total violations for this system , of which 22 (8%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 238 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 Coliform (TCR), recorded in 22 violations (MCL, health-based). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

Across Washington, EPA tracks 4,557 public water systems serving 9,736,844 people, with 314,648 cumulative violations and 20,590 health-based violations on record. About 92% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 69 violations. Statewide, 98 of 247 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (39.7%).

Ephrata Water Department's 267 violations sit above the Washington average.

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

Population Served
8,620
Total Violations
267
Health-Based Violations
22
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
3,579
County
Grant
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
22
Monitoring Violations
238
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Coliform (TCR) MCL 22 2004
Diquat MR 15 2005
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 9 2008
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 9 2008
DICHLOROMETHANE MR 9 2008
o-Dichlorobenzene MR 9 2008
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 9 2008
Carbon tetrachloride MR 9 2008
1,2-Dichloropropane MR 9 2008
Trichloroethylene MR 9 2008
Tetrachloroethylene MR 9 2008
Benzene MR 9 2008
Toluene MR 9 2008
Styrene MR 9 2008
p-Dichlorobenzene MR 9 2008
Vinyl chloride MR 9 2008
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 9 2008
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 9 2008
CHLOROBENZENE MR 9 2008
1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 9 2008
1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 9 2008
Ethylbenzene MR 9 2008
Nitrate MR 8 2006
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 7 2024
Heptachlor epoxide MR 6 2005
Pentachlorophenol MR 3 2020
Dalapon MR 2 2020
Picloram MR 2 2020
Dinoseb MR 2 2020
2,4,5-TP MR 2 2020

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 290 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFOA 6/24/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 6/24/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 6/24/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 6/24/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 6/24/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 6/24/2025 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 6/24/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 6/24/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 6/24/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 6/24/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 6/24/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 6/24/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 6/24/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 6/24/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 6/24/2025 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 6/24/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 6/24/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 6/24/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 6/24/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 6/24/2025 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 6/24/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 6/24/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 6/24/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 6/24/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 6/24/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 6/24/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 6/24/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 6/24/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 6/24/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 4/23/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 4/23/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 4/23/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 4/23/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 4/23/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 4/23/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 4/23/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 4/23/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 4/23/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 4/23/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 4/23/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 4/23/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 4/23/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 4/23/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 4/23/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 4/23/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 4/23/2025 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 4/23/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 4/23/2025 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 4/23/2025 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 4/23/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 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 Ephrata Water Department.

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 WA5323650 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Washington Drinking Water Authority

Washington State Department of Health, Office of Drinking Water is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects Ephrata Water Department under EPA-delegated authority.

Open WA regulator portal

Source: Washington State Department of Health, Office of Drinking Water

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 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 7 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 7000
2023 TTHM MR 1 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2950
2023 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 1 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2456
2020 Pentachlorophenol MR 3 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2326
2020 Dalapon MR 2 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2031
2020 Picloram MR 2 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2040
2020 Dinoseb MR 2 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2041
2020 2,4,5-TP MR 2 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2110
2008 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 9 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2378
2008 cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 9 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2380
2008 DICHLOROMETHANE MR 9 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2964
2008 o-Dichlorobenzene MR 9 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2968
2008 1,2-Dichloroethane MR 9 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2980
2008 Carbon tetrachloride MR 9 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2982
2008 1,2-Dichloropropane MR 9 SDWIS / WA5323650 / 2983

How Ephrata Water Department Compares

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

Metric Ephrata Water Department Washington avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 267 69 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 22 4.5 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 39.7% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 8,620 2,137 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 4,557 regulated public water systems in Washington.

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 Ephrata Water Department water safe to drink?
Ephrata Water Department (PWS ID: WA5323650) has 267 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 8,620 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does Ephrata Water Department serve?
Ephrata Water Department serves 8,620 people in Ephrata, Washington. It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 3,579 service connections.
What type of violations does Ephrata Water Department have?
Ephrata Water Department has 267 total violations: 22 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 238 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Ephrata Water Department water?
No. Ephrata Water Department was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Ephrata Water Department use?
Ephrata Water Department 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.