Pendleton County, KY
drinking water quality
14,844 residents · 5 public water systems · 3 ZIP codes
EPA sampled 3 of 5 public water systems here, together serving about 13,089 people. The highest reading was PFOA at 4.1 ng/L at East Pendleton Water District. 1 of the sampled system was above a federal limit. Last sampled 9/8/2025.
What was found
| Compound | Highest result | Federal limit | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 4.1 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 1.0× |
| PFHxS | 5.6 ng/L | 10 ng/L | 0.6× |
Also detected, with no federal limit set: PFPeA (18.8 ng/L), PFHpA (13.9 ng/L), PFHxA (12.1 ng/L), 6:2 FTS (6.7 ng/L), PFBA (6.2 ng/L), PFBS (3.1 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 Pendleton County
41006 · 41033 · 41040
Readings are county-level, so every ZIP here shares the figure above. Search your ZIP on the map to see it in context.