Water Quality: Richmond, KY
3 water systems • 66,700 people served
Some ConcernsWater Quality Summary
Richmond is served by 3 public water systems with a combined service population of 66,700 people, and has 32 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 2 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Richmond's violation count is 16% below the national average for Kentucky. Contaminants associated with violations include E. coli, Stage 2 DBP.
Contaminants Found
Causes gastrointestinal illness; certain strains (e.g., O157:H7) can cause severe kidney failure and death.
Common source: Fecal contamination from humans or animals entering the water supply
EPA limit: Zero (no E. coli permitted in drinking water)
Trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids that increase cancer risk and may cause adverse reproductive outcomes.
Common source: Chlorine disinfection reacting with natural organic matter in source water
EPA limit: TTHM: 0.080 mg/L; HAA5: 0.060 mg/L
Water Systems Serving Richmond
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RICHMOND UTILITIES | KY0760370 | Surface Water | 35,640 | 1 |
| MADISON CO UTILITIES DISTRICT | KY0760224 | Surface Water | 25,120 | 24 |
| KIRKSVILLE WATER ASSOCIATION | KY0760672 | Surface Water | 5,940 | 7 |
Concerned About Your Water?
A home water filter can remove common contaminants. NSF-certified filters are tested against EPA standards.
Consider a reverse osmosis system for comprehensive filtration or a carbon filter for basic improvement.
Other Cities in Kentucky
Data Sources
Drinking water violation data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Data includes all recorded violations for active community water systems.