Water System snapshot · Lead, 90th-percentile monitored result
U.S. Cities Where Lead Exceeds the Federal Action Level
25 ranked water systems by lead, 90th-percentile monitored result, from a fixed snapshot on 2026-09-16 (data cutoff EPA SDWIS Lead & Copper Rule, 2026Q2). Shown in the snapshot's published order.
A ranking is not a safety verdict
This compares one published metric for one entity class. It does not summarize everything about a system, and it is not the water at a household tap.
Snapshot 2026-09-16 · cutoff EPA SDWIS Lead & Copper Rule, 2026Q2 A snapshot is immutable: its ordering belongs to the stated date, data cutoff, methodology, and exclusions.
Methodology and limitations
How this snapshot is built
From EPA SDWIS Lead & Copper Rule data, community water systems are ranked by their 90th-percentile lead result against the 15 µg/L federal action level. Only systems with a published lead finding and a city report are listed.
Reading the order
The action level is a treatment trigger, not a health-based limit; there is no known safe level of lead. Results are monitored public-system values for the reporting period, and household plumbing can add lead at the tap regardless of the system result.
Exclusions
1 excluded. Shown: systems above the action level with a lead page. Some cities share one serving system and are listed once.
The rankingEach row links to the water system’s full evidence record. Rows appear in the snapshot’s published order: a comparison of one measure (lead, 90th-percentile monitored result), not an overall safety order.
| # | Water System | Lead, 90th-percentile monitored result | On record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DAYTON PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMDayton, OH | 470.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 2 | SMITHFIELD CITYSmithfield, UT | 46.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 3 | NORTHSHORE UTILITY DISTRICTNorthshore District, WA | 36.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 4 | HibbingHibbing, MN | 32.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 5 | AMSTERDAM (C)Amsterdam (c), NY | 31.3 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 6 | LOCKPORTLockport, IL | 30.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 7 | ALDERWOOD WATER DISTRICTAlderwood District, WA | 28.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 8 | LAKE FORESTLake Forest, IL | 28.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 9 | AURORAAurora, IL | 24.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 10 | BARTLETTBartlett, IL | 22.6 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 11 | BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION (MWRA)Boston Commission (mwra), MA | 22.5 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 12 | VERA WATER & POWERVera Power, WA | 20.8 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 13 | TWO RIVERS UTILITIESTwo Rivers, NC | 20.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 14 | LEMONTLemont, IL | 20.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 15 | GROSSE ILE TOWNSHIPGrosse Ile Township, MI | 19.2 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 16 | ARDMOREArdmore, OK | 19.2 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 17 | MARQUETTEMarquette, MI | 19.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 18 | MADISON HEIGHTSMadison Heights, MI | 17.9 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 19 | MALDEN WATER DIVISION (MWRA)Malden (mwra), MA | 17.9 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 20 | MORTON GROVEMorton Grove, IL | 17.6 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 21 | INKSTERInkster, MI | 17.6 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 22 | TAYLORTaylor, MI | 16.3 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 23 | NORTH SALT LAKE CITY WATER SYSTEMNorth Salt Lake, UT | 16.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 24 | CITY OF ALEXANDRIA WATER SYSTEMAlexandria, LA | 16.0 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record | |
| 25 | MEDFORD WATER DEPT. (MWRA)Medford (mwra), MA | 15.5 µg/L (action level 15) | Latest Lead & Copper Rule monitoring on record |
Comparable does not mean complete.
This snapshot compares water systems on one metric. It never replaces a full system report, a city-resolution check, or a certified household test, and missing monitoring is excluded, never scored as favorable.