Mason County, KY
drinking water quality
16,956 residents · 4 public water systems · 4 ZIP codes
EPA sampled 3 of 4 public water systems here, together serving about 22,311 people. The highest reading was PFOA at 5 ng/L at Buffalo Trail Water Assoc. 1 of the sampled system was above a federal limit. Last sampled 9/3/2024.
What was found
| Compound | Highest result | Federal limit | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 5 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 1.3× |
| PFOS | 4.2 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 1.1× |
Also detected, with no federal limit set: 6:2 FTS (22 ng/L), PFBA (6.8 ng/L), PFPeA (5 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 Mason County
41034 · 41044 · 41055 · 41056
Readings are county-level, so every ZIP here shares the figure above. Search your ZIP on the map to see it in context.