TAHLEQUAH PWA
TAHLEQUAH, OK · 14,458 people served · EPA PWSID OK1021701
TAHLEQUAH PWA (TAHLEQUAH, OK), which serves about 14,458 people, has recorded 4 health-based drinking-water contaminants in EPA violation records since 2016, most notably Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM), Copper. EPA's UCMR5 program detected PFAS 'forever chemicals' in this system: PFBS (0.0057 µg/L), PFPeA (0.0044 µg/L), PFHxA (0.0042 µg/L). A certified water filter can reduce these at the tap — see the certified options for each below.
What the testing found
Measured levels from EPA violation records, compared to the federal limit (MCL). The black line marks the legal limit.
Haloacetic Acids
1.2× the federal limitChlorination byproduct; MCL 60 ug/L. Cancer and developmental concern.
Total Trihalomethanes
1× the federal limitChlorination byproduct; MCL 80 ug/L. Long-term bladder cancer and reproductive risk. Higher in surface-water systems.
Lead
Not detectedNo safe level. Damages developing brain/nervous system in children; linked to lower IQ, kidney and cardiovascular harm in adults. Usually enters water from corroding pipes/solder, not the source.
PFAS "forever chemicals"
Detected by EPA's UCMR5 monitoring. The 2024 federal limit for PFOA and PFOS is 4 ppt (0.004 µg/L).
PFBS
DetectedPFPeA
DetectedPFHxA
DetectedAlso on record
Copper
1 violationRecorded as a federal action-level / treatment violation (1 since 2016). Measured 90th-percentile levels are reported separately under the Lead & Copper Rule.
Short-term: nausea/vomiting/cramps; long-term: liver/kidney damage. Leaches from copper plumbing, worse with corrosive water.
Filters certified to clean up your water
Your water shows Total Trihalomethanes, Copper, PFOA, PFOS, and 1 more. A refrigerator filter handles the most of this in one unit — these three are independently certified for the most of your contaminants (not marketing claims):
The picks above are the convenient option. For a more permanent fix at a lower cost per gallon, an under-sink system treats more of your water in one place. See the best under-sink filters →
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) are reduced by the same activated-carbon filtration that handles trihalomethanes, so a carbon-based pick above covers them together.
Compare all certified refrigerator filters →
Want certainty about your tap specifically (not just the system)? A certified mail-in lab test is the gold standard — system-wide records can differ from your home's plumbing. Some links above are affiliate links — see our disclosure.
Sources & method. Contaminant levels and violations come from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (health-based violations, 2016–present); PFAS from EPA UCMR5 monitoring (2023–2025). Levels shown are the highest recorded value in the violation records; a violation means the contaminant exceeded its federal limit at the system level. Your home's water can differ from the system average. Public domain data; we are not affiliated with the EPA.