Table of Contents
Can You Drink Tap Water in Everett?
Yes, Everett's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Everett has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.
According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Everett's water utility, City of Everett Public Works Dept, had 1 non-health-based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. The last violation for Everett was resolved on July 31, 2020. This assessment is based on the City of Everett Public Works Dept water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.
While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.
The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.
Water Quality Report for Everett Tap Water
The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Everett tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.
Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.
EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.
There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.
We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Everett's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.
Everett Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years
Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named City of Everett Public Works Dept for Everett in Washington. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.
From July 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020, Everett had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Surface Water Treatment Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Surface Water Treatment Rule.
Is there Lead in Everett Water?
Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Everett water system, City of Everett Public Works Dept, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.0024 mg/L of lead in Everett water. This is 16.0% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Everett contained more lead.
While Everett water testing may have found 0.0024 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.
No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.
Are there PFAS in Everett Tap Water?
Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Puget Sound NS Sand Point - near Everett with suspected leaks.
With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Everett has been evaluated for yet.
Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.
Everett SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years
| Compliance Period | Status | Health-Based? | Category Code | Code | Rule Code | Contaminant Code | Rule Group Code | Rule Family Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07/01/2020 - 07/31/2020 | Resolved | No | Monitoring and Reporting (MR) | Monitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) (36) | Surface Water Treatment Rule (121) | Surface Water Treatment Rule (0200) | Microbials (100) | Surface Water Treatment Rules (120) |
What do these Violations Mean?
Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.
Health Based Violations
- Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
- Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
- Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.
Non-Health Based Violations
- Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
- Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
- Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.
SDWA Table Key
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Compliance Period | Dates of the compliance period. |
| Status |
Current status of the violation.
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| Health-Based? | Whether the violation is health based. |
| Category Code |
The category of violation that is reported.
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| Code | A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table. |
| Contaminant Code | A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation. |
| Rule Code |
Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
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| Rule Group Code |
Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
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| Rule Family Code |
Code for rule family.
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For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.
Everett Water - Frequently Asked Questions
| By Mail: | 3200 Cedar St Everett, WA, 98201 |
Existing customers can login to their City of Everett Public Works Dept account to pay their Everett water bill by clicking here.
If you want to pay your City of Everett Public Works Dept bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Everett water bill.
If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Everett water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.
Moving to a new house or apartment in Everett means you will often need to put the water in your name with City of Everett Public Works Dept. In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.
Leaving your house or apartment in Everett means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with City of Everett Public Works Dept. In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.
The estimated price of bottled water
$3.5 in USD (1.5-liter)
USER SUBMITTED RATINGS
- Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility
- Water Pollution
- Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility
- Water Quality
The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Everett, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).
Related FAQS
Everett Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)
The EPA mandates that towns and cities consistently monitor and test their tap water. They must report their findings in an annual Consumer Confidence Report. Below is the most recent water quality report from Everett's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.
Drinking Water Quality Report
2020
Taste Value Quality
Water is a
it costs very little compared to its value.
Your water rates pay for everything it takes to operate our water system, from storage and treatment, to delivering the water to your tap. Your water rates also help pay for water system improvements that ensure that we will provide
As this year’s Drinking Water Quality Report shows, this is an exceptional value for the clean, safe, great tasting drinking water you receive.
City of Everett Public Works Department 3200 Cedar St. Everett, WA 98201
Precipitation and snowmelt from the Cascade Mountains are collected in Spada Lake Reservoir.
From Spada, water travels to Chaplain Reservoir, where the City’s water treatment plant is located.
The Everett Drinking Water Treatment Plant treats the
FROM SPADA TO YOU:
Clean, safe drinking water delivered to your tap
Your drinking water comes from Spada Lake Reservoir, located about 30 miles east of Everett at the headwaters of the Sultan River. This
a partnership between the City of Everett and the Snohomish County PUD as part of the Jackson Hydroelectric Project.
Spada Lake Reservoir is located in the Upper Sultan River Watershed, an area encompassing more than 80 square miles. This is one of the wettest watersheds in the continental United
States. The average annual rainfall is about 165
Water quality in the Sultan Basin is carefully monitored. To protect the naturally pristine water in Spada Lake Reservoir, the watershed is patrolled and human activities are limited to minimize the impact on water quality. We continue to evaluate and adjust our security measures on an ongoing basis.
Let us know how we are doing and what you think of your water. Call
Ensuring an adequate supply
Conservation helps meet the needs of people, industries, businesses and farms, while also keeping fish and other aquatic life alive and well.
water using coagulation, flocculation, filtration and disinfection.
Water transmission lines carry drinking water to Everett.
Treated water is delivered to about 640,000 people, or 75 percent of the businesses and households in Snohomish County.
Everett provides water to the majority of water systems in Snohomish County and administers a regional water conservation program. The program is planned and developed with the water systems we serve and funded from water system revenues.
More than $7.9 million has been invested in regional water conservation activities since 2001. This includes such activities as school education, indoor and outdoor water conservation kits, rebates for water efficient clothes washers and toilets, leak detection, business water audits and school irrigation audits. Through these efforts, we have saved more than 5.6 million gallons per day (MGD)— enough water to fill nearly 133,000 bathtubs a day.
Conservation planning has occurred in six- year cycles as part of Everett’s comprehensive
water system plan. The first plan covered the period from 2001 through 2006, the second from 2007 through 2012 and the third from 2013 through 2019. The 2020 Comprehensive Water Plan will be a
In 2020, 242 water conservation workshops were conducted in classrooms throughout Snohomish County, reaching more than 5,400 students. Water systems purchased more than 2,900 indoor conservation kits and 4,800 outdoor conservation kits. These activities saved an estimated 0.68 MGD regionally.
For conservation tips and information, visit everettwa.gov/conservation
2020 water quality analysis results |
CITY OF EVERETT |
Detected Regulated Contaminants
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EPA Regulations |
Everett Water Results |
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Average |
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Maximum |
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Value or |
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Ideal Level/ |
Allowable |
Range |
Highest |
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Parameter |
Major Source |
Units |
Goal (MCLG) |
(MCL) |
or Other |
Result |
Comply? |
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Total Coliform Bacteria |
Naturally present in |
% |
0 |
5% Positive |
None |
0% |
Yes |
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the environment |
Positive |
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per Month |
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Total coliform bacteria monitoring tracks microbial quality in the water distribution system. Everett collects around 125 samples per month or 1,500 per year. No more than 5 percent of the monthly totals can be positive for total coliforms. No total coliforms were detected in 2020.
Fluoride |
Dental health additive |
ppm |
2 |
4 |
0.7 |
Yes |
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Fluoride is added to your water in carefully controlled levels for dental health. Due to system maintenance, there were three days during the year in which the daily average feed value was below the state minimum for dental health of 0.5ppm.
Residual Disinfectant |
Added as a drinking |
ppm |
4.0 |
4.0 |
0.7 |
Yes |
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Level (free chlorine) |
water disinfectant |
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(MRDLG) |
(MRDL) |
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Haloacetic Acids (5) |
ppb |
N/A |
60 |
382 |
Yes |
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(HAA5) |
water chlorination |
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Total Trihalomethanes |
ppb |
N/A |
80 |
492 |
Yes |
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(TTHM) |
water chlorination |
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Haloacetic acids and trihalomethanes form as
Turbidity |
Soil erosion |
NTU |
N/A |
TT |
100% |
0.08 |
Yes |
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The EPA turbidity limit is 0.3 NTU. In 2020, no filtered water turbidity results exceeded 0.3 NTU so the lowest percentage that met the EPA limit was 100%. During the month of July 2020, an equipment malfunction caused erroneous turbidity measurements to be made for six days on water before treatment. Although the problem was limited to measurements on the water before treatment, this constitutes a monitoring violation that requires public notification (see below).
Required Monitoring Violation Statement: We are required to monitor our drinking water for specific parameters on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. During the month of July 2020, we did not complete all monitoring or testing for turbidity, and therefore cannot be sure of the quality of our drinking water during that time. There is nothing you need to do. At no time was the quality of our drinking water compromised. The plant has resolved the problem and taken steps to prevent a repeat occurence.
Lead, Copper and pH
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EPA Regulations |
Everett Water Results |
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90th % |
Homes |
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Ideal Level/ |
Action Level |
Level |
Exceeding |
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Parameter |
Major Source |
Units |
Goal (MCLG) |
(AL) |
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the AL |
Comply? |
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Lead |
Plumbing, erosion of natural |
ppb |
0 |
15 |
2 |
0 of 108 |
Yes |
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deposits |
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(0.0%) |
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Copper |
Plumbing, erosion of natural |
ppm |
1.3 |
1.3 |
0.141 |
0 of 108 |
Yes |
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deposits |
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(0.0%) |
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USEPA and state regulations require water systems to monitor for the presence of lead and copper at household taps every three years. Lead and copper monitoring is conducted by Everett and many of the water systems that it supplies in the combined service area as a regional group. The above data was collected in 2018. The next required round of sampling will be in 2021. The 90th percent level is the highest result obtained in 90 percent of the samples collected when the results are ranked in order from lowest to highest. In the past, the results for water tested before it enters household plumbing were even lower than the tap results. This indicates that there is virtually no lead or copper in the water and that household plumbing may contribute to lead and copper at the tap.
pH |
Soda ash is added to reduce |
s.u. |
Daily |
Min Daily |
Average |
Minimum |
Yes |
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water corrosivity by |
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Average |
Average |
7.6 |
7.0 |
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increasing pH and alkalinity |
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7.6 |
7.3 |
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The Washington State Department of Health requires Everett to operate corrosion control treatment at or above a minimum daily average pH of 7.4. Everett measures pH six times per day (once every four hours). The average daily pH cannot be below 7.4 for more than nine days every six months. In 2020, the average daily pH dropped below 7.4 for one day.
USEPA required lead statement: If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. The City of Everett Utilities Division is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at
Detected Unregulated
Contaminants
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Ideal |
Everett Water |
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Results |
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Level/ |
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Goal |
Range |
Average |
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Parameter |
Units |
(MCLG) |
Detected |
Value |
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Bromodichloromethane |
ppb |
0 |
1.6 |
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Chloroform |
ppb |
70 |
36 |
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(trichloromethane) |
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Dichloroacetic Acid |
ppb |
0 |
11 |
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Trichloroacetic Acid |
ppb |
20 |
21 |
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These substances are disinfection
IMPORTANT TERMS
Turbidity – Turbidity is a measure of particulates suspended in water in nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) and is an important test in determining drinking water quality. Particulates in water can include bacteria, viruses and protozoans that can cause disease.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) – The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) – The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available water treatment technology.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) – The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG) – The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.
Treatment Technique (TT) – A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
Action Level (AL) – The concentration of a contaminant, which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Parts per Million (ppm)/ Parts per Billion (ppb) – A part per million means that one part of a particular contaminant is present for every million parts of water. Similarly, parts per billion indicate the amount of a contaminant per billion parts of water.
Not Applicable (N/A) – Means EPA has not established MCLGs for these substances.
REQUIRED POLYMER STATEMENT:
During water treatment, organic polymer coagulants are added to improve the coagulation and filtration processes that remove particulates from water. The particulates that are removed can include viruses, bacteria and other
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ARE
REQUIRED BY THE US ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY.
Your drinking water facts and figures
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City of Everett |
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All water sources (both tap water and bottled water) contain impurities. As |
Water Quality Offices |
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water flows over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves |
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naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can |
everettwa.gov/water |
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pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human |
State Department of Health |
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activity. Contaminants that may be present in source water include: |
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doh.wa.gov/ehp/dw |
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Microbial contaminants such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage |
US Environmental Protection Agency |
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treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife. |
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Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring |
epa.gov/safewater |
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or result from urban surface water, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil |
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and gas production, mining or farming. |
To get involved in decisions |
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Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as |
affecting your drinking water, attend |
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agriculture, urban surface water and residential uses. |
and comment at Everett City Council |
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meetings every Wednesday. |
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Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, |
Agendas and meeting times are available on the |
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which are |
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City’s website at everettwa.gov/citycouncil |
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also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff and septic systems. |
City of Everett elected officials |
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Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil |
MAYOR: Cassie Franklin |
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CITY COUNCIL: Brenda Stonecipher (President), |
and gas production and mining activities. |
Scott Bader, Jeff Moore, Scott Murphy, |
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In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
Paul Roberts, Judy Tuohy, Liz Vogeli |
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prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public |
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water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants |
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in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health. |
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Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population.
We test your drinking water 365 days a year.
Learn more about your water at everettwa.gov/water
Contaminants
City of Everett Public Works Department
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Washington State Department of Health, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Utility details
- Serves: 103000
- Data available: 2012-2017
- Data Source: Surface water
- Total: 18
Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines
- Bromodichloromethane
- Chloroform
- Chromium (hexavalent)
- Dichloroacetic acid
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
- Trichloroacetic acid
Other Detected Contaminants
- 4-Androstene-3%2C17-dione
- Aluminum
- Barium
- Chlorate
- Fluoride
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
- Manganese
- Monochloroacetic acid
- Nitrate
- Nitrite
- Strontium
- Vanadium
Reminder
Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.