How to Read Your Colorado Springs Water Quality Report

Water Quality February 2026 7 min read

Every year, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) is required by federal law to publish a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — a detailed accounting of what was detected in your tap water and how those levels compare to federal standards. Most people ignore it. That's understandable — these reports are dense with acronyms and technical language designed for regulators, not homeowners. This guide translates the key parts into plain English.

Where to Find the Report

CSU mails the CCR annually to all customers and publishes it on their website. Search for "Colorado Springs Utilities water quality report" followed by the current year to find the latest version. It's public record and worth bookmarking.

Key Terms You Need to Know

The report is full of abbreviations. Here are the ones that matter:

MCL — Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant that is legally allowed in drinking water. Important caveat: MCLs are set based on what's technically and economically feasible to achieve, not purely on health science. The legal limit is not always the same as the safe limit.

MCLG — Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: The level at which no known or anticipated health effects occur. Set purely on health grounds, with no economic or technical feasibility consideration. For carcinogens like benzene and some PFAS compounds, the MCLG is zero. The MCL is often higher than the MCLG — meaning legal compliance doesn't always equal zero risk.

AL — Action Level: Used for lead and copper. If levels exceed the action level in more than 10% of samples, the utility must take corrective action. It is not a health-based limit — it's a trigger for response.

ppb — Parts Per Billion: Micrograms per liter (µg/L). One ppb is equivalent to one drop of water in an Olympic swimming pool.

ppt — Parts Per Trillion: Nanograms per liter (ng/L). Used for PFAS because the compounds are active at extremely low concentrations. One ppt is 1,000 times smaller than one ppb.

ND — Not Detected: The contaminant was not found above the laboratory's detection limit. Not the same as "zero" — it means below the threshold the test can measure.

What to Pay Attention to in CSU's Report

TTHMs (Total Trihalomethanes)

TTHMs are disinfection byproducts — they form when chlorine (used to disinfect water) reacts with naturally occurring organic matter. The federal MCL is 80 ppb. CSU has recorded TTHMs as high as 77.8 ppb — very close to the limit, though technically compliant.

Why does this matter? TTHMs are associated with increased cancer risk at chronic exposure levels. Being below the MCL is legally sufficient, but many health advocates and researchers suggest levels as low as reasonably achievable. A whole-house carbon filter or under-sink RO system significantly reduces TTHMs at the point of use.

Chromium-6

The federal MCL for total chromium is 100 ppb (0.1 ppm). CSU has detected chromium-6 (hexavalent chromium) above California's health guideline of 0.02 ppb — though well below the federal MCL. The California guideline is stricter because the state has its own health-based standards. An RO system removes chromium-6 effectively.

Lead

CSU's distribution system samples show lead below the federal Action Level of 15 ppb. However, there's an important nuance: lead in tap water typically doesn't come from the utility's pipes — it comes from lead service lines, lead solder in older home plumbing, and brass fixtures. CSU's system-wide sampling may not reflect what's coming out of your specific tap, especially in homes built before 1986.

If you live in an older home, a point-of-use RO system at your kitchen sink is the most reliable protection against lead in drinking water.

Hardness

CSU's report shows average hardness of approximately 30.7 mg/L as calcium carbonate — equivalent to about 1.8 GPG (grains per gallon). This confirms that Colorado Springs city water is soft. If you're seeing this in your report and a salesperson is telling you that you need a softener, you now have the data to push back.

PFAS

CSU proactively tested for 29 PFAS compounds in 2024/2025. The result: none detected above reporting limits. This is a positive data point. CSU's mountain reservoir sources are geographically distant from Peterson Space Force Base, which is the source of PFAS contamination affecting private wells in Fountain, Security, and Widefield.

What the Report Doesn't Tell You

The CCR is genuinely useful but has real limitations:

It reflects the distribution system, not your tap. Water quality can change as it travels through your home's plumbing. Lead from internal pipes or fixtures won't show up in the utility's sampling.
It's an average, not your specific address. Sampling points are distributed across the system. Your neighborhood's results may vary from the system-wide averages.
It doesn't cover private wells. If you're on a private well, there is no CCR for your water. You are responsible for your own testing.
Detection limits matter. "Not detected" means below the laboratory's detection threshold, not necessarily zero. For some compounds, the detection limit is higher than the health guideline.

The Takeaway

CSU's Consumer Confidence Report is a solid starting point for understanding your water. The headline for Colorado Springs city water: soft (1.8 GPG), no PFAS in the municipal supply, TTHMs worth monitoring, chromium-6 worth knowing about. Read it, understand it, and use it as a baseline — then fill in the gaps with a home water test that tells you what's actually coming out of your specific tap.

We do free in-home tests that complement the CCR data with your actual, address-specific results. No obligation, no pressure — just information.