Is Valparaiso, IN tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for Valparaiso Department of Water Works.
4 public water systems serve parts of Valparaiso. The largest, Valparaiso Department of Water Works, serves 36,000 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Valparaiso Department of Water Works
36,000 people · Groundwater · EPA ID IN5264029
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 3.7 ppb at the 90th percentile (Nov 2026, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Across Indiana, 6 of 219 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 6 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Indiana results.
Valparaiso homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Valparaiso city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Valparaiso
- L-A-C Utilities2,441 people · Purchased groundwater · Indiana · lists this cityNot in EPA's PFAS sample
- Liberty Farms Mobile Home Park – #1390 people · Groundwater · Indiana · lists this cityNot in EPA's PFAS sampleAlso: 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Mallards Pointe Water System150 people · Groundwater · Indiana · lists this cityNot in EPA's PFAS sample
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Hobart 12 mi Indiana American Water – Northwest | None above limits | 3 ppb |
| Merrillville 14 mi Indiana American Water – Northwest | None above limits | 3 ppb |
| Crown Point 16 mi Crown Point Water Works | None above limits | 0.7 ppb |
| Gary 17 mi Indiana American Water – Northwest | None above limits | 3 ppb |
| Michigan City 18 mi Michigan City Department of Water Works | None above limits | 1.9 ppb |
| Schererville 20 mi Schererville Water Department | None above limits | 1 ppb |
Valparaiso ZIP codes (1)
- 46383
Questions
Is Valparaiso tap water safe to drink?
Valparaiso Department of Water Works has had no health-based violations since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Valparaiso, IN?
4 public water systems serve parts of Valparaiso. The largest is Valparaiso Department of Water Works (36,000 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Valparaiso tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Valparaiso Department of Water Works had no PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2025 testing. "Not detected" means below the reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt), not proven zero.
Do Valparaiso homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 50% of Valparaiso homes as built before 1980 (Indiana: 55%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Valparaiso Department of Water Works's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.