Douglas County, KS
drinking water quality
121,989 residents · 13 public water systems · 8 ZIP codes
EPA sampled 6 of 13 public water systems here, together serving about 149,250 people. The highest reading was PFHxS at 4.2 ng/L at City of Lawrence. Last sampled 9/7/2023.
What was found
| Compound | Highest result | Federal limit | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFHxS | 4.2 ng/L | 10 ng/L | 0.4× |
Also detected, with no federal limit set: lithium (27300 ng/L), PFBA (11 ng/L).
What this means
PFAS are industrial chemicals that EPA describes as breaking down only very slowly in the environment. In April 2024 EPA set the first enforceable national limits: 4 ng/L for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ng/L for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX.
These figures are county-level and come from EPA’s sampling of public water systems. They describe the worst result found in the county, not what comes out of any particular tap — that depends on which system serves the address, and on the plumbing in the building. A private well is not covered by this programme at all.
ZIP codes in Douglas County
66006 · 66025 · 66044 · 66045 · 66046 · 66047 · 66049 · 66050
Readings are county-level, so every ZIP here shares the figure above. Search your ZIP on the map to see it in context.