Bowling Green, KY Water Quality Report
Is Bowling Green tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Bowling Green, Kentucky. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is Bowling Green, KY tap water safe to drink? Bowling Green, KY tap water meets most federal EPA limits, but PFAS compounds have been detected at an average of 10.8 ppt across 2 compounds. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended for sensitive populations.
What contaminants are in Bowling Green, KY water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Bowling Green water: PFBA (27.2 ppt), PFPeA (5.6 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in Bowling Green, KY? Match the filter to what's in Kentucky water: reverse osmosis handles PFAS, lead, and arsenic together (90%+ removal); pitchers certified to NSF-53 for PFAS like ZeroWater or PUR PLUS cover taps you drink from. A standard Brita pitcher will not remove PFAS.
Bowling Green, KY Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Bowling Green, KY drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 27.2 ppt across 2 water systems, representing an average of 10.8 ppt across 2 detected compounds. These levels come from individual EPA UCMR 5 water samples (2023-2025). The EPA's 4 ppt limit for PFOA and PFOS is enforced on a running annual average, so a sample above it shows real exposure but is not by itself a violation.
Contamination Level: MODERATE – Moderate contamination – PFAS detected at meaningful levels; filtration recommended.
Top Detected Compounds
- PFBA: 27.2 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFPeA: 5.6 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
Lead in Bowling Green, KY Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 12 lead samples for Bowling Green water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.0037 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.
EPA Violations in Bowling Green, KY
Bowling Green public water systems have 1 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violation on record, including Haloacetic Acids (HAA5). Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.
About the Data
These figures come from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) testing program, 2023-2025. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national PFAS survey of US drinking water, covering about 10,000 public water systems. Population of Bowling Green, KY: approximately 70,543.
ZIP Codes Served
What Bowling Green, Kentucky Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- If anyone in your household is pregnant or under 5, prioritize a certified PFAS filter now and consider a home test kit
- For long-term protection, an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system removes 94-99% of PFAS
- Read the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your Kentucky utility publishes each year