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Is there PFAS in Kentucky-american Water CO water?

Yes, at low levels. 5 PFAS were detected, all below EPA's 2024 limits.

Kentucky-american Water CO Serves 669,042 people · 16 PFOA samples from 5 sampling points · Mar 2023 to Dec 2023 PFAS found, below EPA limits
PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid not detected
EPA 4
PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid not detected
EPA 4
Hazard index GenX, PFBS, PFNA, PFHxS combined not detected
EPA 1

Also detected, no federal limit: 6:2 FTS, PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFBS.

Averages are for the worst sampling point, with non-detects counted as zero. Source: EPA UCMR 5.

Kentucky-american Water CO is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Lexington, Kentucky, serving about 669,042 people, including Georgetown, Midway, New Liberty, Nicholasville, Owenton, Paris. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 16 times across 5 sampling points between Mar 2023 and Dec 2023.

Every PFAS detected

PFAS Detected Highest Worst point avg EPA limit
6:2 FTS
6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid		 2 of 16 11.1 ppt 4.3 ppt none
PFBA
Perfluorobutanoic acid		 1 of 16 5.2 ppt 1.3 ppt none
PFPeA
Perfluoropentanoic acid		 3 of 16 5.2 ppt 2.4 ppt none
PFHxA
Perfluorohexanoic acid		 1 of 16 3.7 ppt 0.9 ppt none
PFBS
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid		 2 of 16 3.6 ppt 1.8 ppt none

Not detected: PFTrDA, NFDHA, PFPeS, PFHpS, 9Cl-PF3ONS, PFHxS, PFHpA, NEtFOSAA, PFEESA, PFTA, PFDA, NMeFOSAA, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, PFNA, PFOS, PFOA, PFDoA, PFUnA, PFMBA, ADONA, HFPO-DA, 4:2 FTS, 8:2 FTS, PFMPA.

Lithium, tested in the same program: highest 15 ppb, detected in 1 of 16 samples. EPA's health-based screening level is 10 ppb.

What the EPA limits mean here

In April 2024 EPA set enforceable limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX, and a hazard index of 1 for mixtures. Utilities were given until 2029 to comply. In May 2026 EPA proposed keeping only the PFOA and PFOS limits and moving that deadline to 2031. Until that proposal is final, the 2024 limits stand.

Compliance is judged on a running annual average at each entry point, so we show the average at this system's worst sampling point next to its single highest result. UCMR 5 results do not by themselves put a utility in or out of compliance.

What you can do at home

Levels here are under EPA's limits, so no treatment is required. If you want them lower anyway, a certified reverse osmosis system under the sink handles drinking water, and a whole-house carbon filter also takes out the chlorine or chloramine your utility adds.

Other systems in Kentucky

All 231 tested systems in Kentucky

ZIP codes served

40324 40347 40355 40356 40359 40361 40362 40370 40379 40383 40391 40502 40503 40504 40505 40506 40507 40508 40509 40510 40511 40513 40514 40515 40516 40517 41010 41031 41035 41046 41052 41083 41086 41098

As reported by the utility to EPA. Neighbouring ZIPs are often split between systems; your water bill names yours.

Cite this page

Well & Tap. "PFAS in Kentucky-american Water CO water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID KY0340250. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/kentucky/kentucky-american-water-co/

About this data

Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID KY0340250). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.