Is Colorado Springs, CO Tap Water Safe to Drink?

Where Does Colorado Springs Get Its Water?

Colorado Springs, CO is served by nine separate water utilities, the largest being Colorado Springs Utilities. Other providers include Cherokee Metropolitan District, Colorado Centre Metropolitan District, Donala Water and Sanitation District, Meridian Service Metropolitan District, Paint Brush Hills, Stratmoor Hills Water and Sanitation District, Widefield Water and Sanitation District, and Woodmen Hills Metropolitan District.

Several treatment plants serve the area under recognizable names, including the Holbein Plant, the Robert Hull Plant, the McCullough Surface Water Treatment Plant, the Mesa Surface Water Treatment Plant, the Pine Valley Surface Water Treatment Plant, the Ute Pass Surface Water Treatment Plant, and the Theriot Water Treatment Plant. The Woodmen Hills Filter Plant and the Centralized Treatment Plant also contribute to the system.

Because multiple independent utilities operate across the metro area, the specific source water, whether surface water, groundwater, or a blend, varies by district. Some districts draw from wells while others rely on surface water connections, including links to Colorado Springs Utilities' broader supply network.

How Is Colorado Springs Tap Water Treated?

Treatment across the Colorado Springs area includes a wide range of processes. Several plants use coagulation, slow sand filtration, granular activated carbon, and ion exchange to reduce contaminants before water reaches your tap. Air stripping is also used at some facilities, which is effective at removing dissolved gases and certain volatile compounds from groundwater sources.

Disinfection is handled through free chlorine at most facilities, with some systems also using chlorine dioxide or combined approaches. Disinfection kills bacteria and viruses in the water, and a residual amount of chlorine remains in the distribution pipes to keep the water safe as it travels to your home.

Some smaller utilities in the area use specialized treatment such as biological filtration and membrane-based methods, reflecting the variety of source water conditions across this large multi-utility system. The Drinking Water Mitigation Facility serving one of the districts addresses specific local groundwater quality concerns.

What's in Colorado Springs Tap Water?

The most notable finding is lithium. Recent EPA testing detected lithium at a peak of 78.6 micrograms per liter, well above EPA's health reference level of 10 micrograms per liter. All 26 ZIP codes in the dataset showed detections above that benchmark. This is a non-regulatory screening level, meaning there is no enforceable federal maximum for lithium in drinking water, but EPA uses the reference level to flag potential concern.

Several PFAS compounds were also detected across the area. PFPeA reached a peak of 0.0126 micrograms per liter, PFHxA reached 0.0122 micrograms per liter, and PFBS reached 0.0051 micrograms per liter. None of these individual compounds exceeded their respective EPA screening benchmarks based on the data, and all 26 ZIP codes showed detections. A fourth PFAS, PFTrDA, was reported at the detection threshold of 0.007 micrograms per liter.

Lithium occurs naturally in some groundwater and surface water sources, particularly in western states. PFAS compounds are man-made chemicals that persist in the environment and have been linked to military installations, industrial sites, and firefighting foam use. The presence of both in Colorado Springs water reflects regional geology and land-use history rather than any single source.

Health Risk Profile for Colorado Springs

Lithium is the primary concern here. EPA has established a health reference level of 10 micrograms per liter for lithium in drinking water, and testing found levels as high as 78.6 micrograms per liter in some parts of the Colorado Springs area. This reference level is not an enforceable federal legal limit, but EPA uses it as a benchmark to identify water that warrants closer attention. No federal maximum contaminant level for lithium currently exists.

Infants and pregnant individuals are considered more sensitive to lithium exposure because the developing nervous system may be affected at lower doses. People with kidney conditions may also be at higher risk since the kidneys regulate lithium elimination. If you are in one of these groups, speaking with a healthcare provider about your specific tap water is a reasonable step.

For the contaminant profile here, a filter certified to NSF/ANSI 58 (reverse osmosis) is the most effective option for reducing both lithium and PFAS. NSF/ANSI is an independent third-party certification, so look for that label on the box or the manufacturer's product page. If you are primarily concerned about PFAS, a filter certified to NSF/ANSI P473 can also reduce several PFAS compounds. For chlorine taste and odor, NSF/ANSI 42 activated carbon filters are widely available and effective.

The science on low-level lithium exposure from drinking water is still evolving, and EPA has not finalized a regulatory limit. The detected PFAS levels here fall below EPA's individual screening benchmarks based on the available data, though health researchers continue to study the effects of combined low-level PFAS exposure over time.