PFAS Analyte · UCMR 5

PFOS

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid

CAS 1763-23-1· UCMR 5· EPA MCL: 4 ppt
6,146
Systems monitored
with official records
896
Systems with detections
14.6% detection rate
3,032
Detected samples
of 39,261 total samples
Jan 2023 – Dec 2025
Monitoring period
per UCMR 5 schedule

Detection Rate — PFOS

Systems with any detection14.6%

896 of 6,146 monitored systems

Sample-level detection rate7.7%

3,032 detections across 39,261 total samples

States with Most PFOS Detections

Water Systems with Most PFOS Detections

Systems ranked by number of samples detected above the minimum reporting limit. Detection count reflects monitoring frequency, not concentration level.

All records are from official EPA UCMR 5 monitoring data. Detection counts reflect the number of samples where the analyte was reported above the minimum reporting limit (MRL). They are not compliance determinations and do not imply a health violation. The EPA MCL for PFOS is 4 ppt under the PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (April 2024).

PFOS at a Glance

Full NamePerfluorooctane sulfonic acid
CAS Number1763-23-1
UCMR RoundUCMR 5
EPA MCL4 ppt
Systems Monitored6,146
Systems Detected896
Detection Rate14.6%

Note

Individual MCL of 4 ppt finalized April 2024.

EPA PFAS Drinking Water RegulationEPA UCMR 5 Source Data Back to PFAS Watchlist