Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
RICHLAND CITY OF
RICHLAND CITY OF delivers tap water graded F (50/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 106,499 residents in Richland, Washington using surface water. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Total PFOS and PFOA significantly above health guideline; Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline.
Is Richland tap water safe to drink?
RICHLAND CITY OF delivers tap water that earns a grade of F (50/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a poor rating, with significant contamination concerns and/or recent violations.
The utility serves 106,499 residents in Richland, drawing from surface water.
Public testing data identifies 18 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Total PFOS and PFOA, Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Trichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Bromodichloromethane, Dichloroacetic acid, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Dibromochloromethane, Radium, combined (-226 and -228), Nitrate, Nitrate and nitrite, Dibromoacetic acid, Chromium (hexavalent), Bromoform. For most residents, a properly certified home filter at the kitchen tap is the most cost-effective way to reduce exposure to whatever's in your water. See our filter recommendations below, matched specifically to this utility's contaminant profile.
Quick actions for Richland residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for RICHLAND CITY OF.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Total PFOS and PFOA significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal PFOS and PFOA detected at 21.4 ppt, 3058x above the EWG health guideline of 0.007 ppt.
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernPerfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) detected at 1.94 ppt, 1936x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 32.0 ppb, 534x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Contact RICHLAND CITY OF
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Treatment Plant
Recommended water filters for Richland
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Reverse Osmosis or NSF P473 certified carbon
$80-$750Activated carbon and RO are the only technologies proven to remove PFAS at certified levels.
Carbon block (NSF/ANSI 42 + 53)
$40-$750Activated carbon is highly effective for disinfection byproducts like TTHM and HAA5.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
Score breakdown
This utility's overall score of 50/100 breaks down across five weighted components. Read the full methodology →
Contaminants detected — international standards comparison
Every contaminant detected, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal (the strictest US benchmark). Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
4.37 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | EPA violation |
| Total PFOS and PFOA PFAS |
21.4 ppt | 0.007 | — | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 3058× over |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
1.94 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 1936× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
32.0 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 534× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
38.7 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 258× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
23.5 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 235× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
14.0 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 140× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
30.9 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 77× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
3.65 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 61× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
9.27 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 46× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
2.84 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 32× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
2.4 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 24× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
1.12 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 22× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
2.35 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 17× over |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
1.65 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 12× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.189 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 6.3× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.11 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 5.5× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
1.49 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 3.0× over |
| Vanadium Other |
0.983 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
11.0 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
2.54 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
0.269 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
4.32 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
3.67 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
1.88 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
3.03 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
1.47 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
0.14 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0384 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.125 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| PFOS + PFOA + PFHxS + PFNA PFAS |
27.1 ppt | — | — | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines (4th ed.), California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
RICHLAND CITY OF service area
This water system serves 1 community in Benton County, Washington. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for Richland water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.