Purdue University Water Works water quality
West Lafayette, IN · serves 50,000 people (241 connections) · Groundwater · State · EPA ID IN5279015
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data.
- PFAS
- Detected, below limit6 of 29 PFAS found at least once. All averages below the federal limits.
- Lead
- Below action level0 ppb (parts per billion) at the 90th percentile: 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it. Action level 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in Nov 2027. Monitoring period ending Dec 2025. Your home's pipes can make yours higher.
- Violations
- None health-basedNo health-based violations since 2016.
- Built before 1986, or not sure what your service line is made of? Check your service line and test your tap. Utility data can't show your pipes.
- Want to reduce what was found? Filters for these results.
- Tested your own tap? Compare your result with these numbers. Moving? Compare this system with another.
- Read Purdue University Water Works's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report). It lists every regulated contaminant tested and is usually on the utility's website or mailed with your bill, and you can also request it at (765) 496-2705. EPA: how to find it.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
EPA UCMR 5: 6 entry points tested Feb 2023 to Aug 2023. "Average" is the highest entry-point average (non-detects counted as zero), the way EPA compares UCMR 5 results to the limits. ppt = parts per trillion. These results do not determine compliance.
| Contaminant | Highest average |
|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected Limit 4 ppt | – |
| PFOS Not detected Limit 4 ppt | – |
| PFHxS Detected, below limit Limit 10 ppt | 5.2 ppt 52% of the limit |
| PFNA Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| Hazard Index (a combined score for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and PFBS, where above 1 is over the limit) Detected, below limit Limit 1 | 0.53 |
| PFBS Detected, below limit Guideline 2,000 ppt | 12.1 ppt |
| PFBA Detected, below limit Guideline 6,000 ppt | 2.8 ppt |
| PFHxA Detected, below limit Guideline 3,000 ppt | 7.7 ppt |
| PFPeA Detected, no limit | 7.8 ppt |
| PFPeS Detected, no limit | 4.2 ppt |
29 PFAS tested, 6 detected at least once. "Not detected" means below EPA's reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt depending on the chemical), not proven zero. PFAS not listed were not detected. The limits for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and the Hazard Index were proposed for rescission in May 2026. That proposal is not final. Systems have until 2029 to meet the limits.
Lithium
Not detected in 12 samples (reporting limit 9 ppb). About lithium.
Lead and copper
Latest 90th percentile: 0 ppb lead (Jan 2025 – Dec 2025). Below action level
Highest since 2016: 1.7 ppb (Jun 2024).
| Monitoring period | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|
| Jan 2025 – Dec 2025 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2024 – Jun 2024 | 1.7 ppb |
| Jul 2023 – Dec 2023 | 1.27 ppb |
Earlier results (9)
| Jan 2019 – Dec 2021 | 0.86 ppb |
| Jan 2016 – Dec 2018 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2013 – Dec 2015 | 1 ppb |
| Jan 2012 – Dec 2012 | 1.22 ppb |
| Jan 2011 – Dec 2011 | 1.2 ppb |
| Jul 2010 – Dec 2010 | 1.4 ppb |
| Jan 2010 – Jun 2010 | 1 ppb |
| Jan 2009 – Dec 2009 | 26.6 ppb |
| Jan 2006 – Dec 2008 | 1 ppb |
Lead comes from pipes and fixtures, not the source water, so it varies home to home. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 sampled homes were at or below it. More on lead.
Violations
Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded a limit or a required treatment step was missed. Monitoring and reporting violations mean required tests or reports were late or missing, so the water's quality during that time is unknown. The total includes every violation in EPA's records, most of them paperwork.
Earlier EPA testing (2013–2020)
| Contaminant | Highest | Guideline |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 288 ppb | 300 ppb |
| Strontium | 0.23 ppm | 1.5 ppm |
| Molybdenum | 3.7 ppb | 40 ppb |
Where it serves
ZIP codes the system reported serving: 47906, 47907
Nearby utilities
- Lafayette Water Works Lafayette · 4 mi
- Indiana American Water – Kokomo Kokomo · 42 mi
- Carmel Water Department Carmel · 52 mi
- Citizens Water of Westfield, LLC Carmel · 52 mi
- Citizens Water – Indianapolis Indianapolis · 62 mi
- Anderson Water Department Anderson · 69 mi
Questions
Is Purdue University Water Works water safe to drink?
Purdue University Water Works has no health-based violations since 2016. EPA testing found no PFAS above the federal limits. Federal data can't tell you about your own pipes: lead comes from service lines and plumbing, so test your tap if your home was built before 1986. For the official word, read the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Purdue University Water Works water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing of Purdue University Water Works found 6 PFAS at least once. None of the averages were above the federal limits.
What is the lead level in Purdue University Water Works water?
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result for Purdue University Water Works is 0 ppb, for the period ending Dec 2025. The federal action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in November 2027. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below this number. Individual homes can be higher.
Check these numbers yourself
Every figure on this page comes from public EPA records. You don't have to take our word for it:
- EPA's own report for IN5279015: violations, enforcement and inspections, straight from EPA.
- EPA UCMR 5 data: the PFAS and lithium results (search the file for PWSID IN5279015).
- EPA SDWIS download: the lead results, population and violation records we use.
- The utility's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report): ask Purdue University Water Works at (765) 496-2705, or see EPA's guide to finding it.
Found something that doesn't match? Tell us and we'll check it against EPA's records. How we check our data.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.