Colorado Springs is one of the more intensively documented cases of military-base PFAS contamination in the US — and one of the cases where the city has been unusually proactive about both transparency and remediation. If you're a resident trying to understand your water quality situation, here's a clear-eyed look at where things stand.
The PFAS Background
Colorado Springs draws its drinking water from several sources including the Colorado River watershed (via the Homestake and Twin Lakes projects), Rampart Reservoir, and local groundwater wells. Some of those groundwater sources have been affected by PFAS contamination traced to decades of firefighting foam (AFFF) use at Peterson Air Force Base and the US Air Force Academy.
PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, nicknamed "forever chemicals" because they don't break down in the environment — were a standard component of AFFF firefighting foam used at military installations since the 1970s for fuel-fire suppression and training exercises. When foam was applied to the ground during training, PFAS leached into soil and migrated into groundwater. This pattern has played out at hundreds of military installations across the country; Colorado Springs is among the better-documented examples.
Current PFAS Levels in Colorado Springs Water
Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) has been actively monitoring PFAS since 2016 and publishes detailed testing data. Key points from current reporting:
- Some wells have been taken offline. CSU identified PFAS contamination in certain groundwater wells and removed those wells from service rather than continuing to blend contaminated water into the supply.
- Surface water sources show lower contamination. The primary surface water sources — Colorado River watershed and Rampart Reservoir — have tested at significantly lower PFAS concentrations than the affected groundwater wells.
- The blended distribution water has generally tested below EPA's new 4 ppt MCL for PFOA and PFOS, but this depends on which sources are being used at a given time.
The situation in Colorado Springs is distinct from Dayton, Ohio in one important way: Dayton's treatment plant is still running water that exceeds EPA limits, while Colorado Springs has been more aggressive about removing contaminated well sources and maintaining compliance. That doesn't mean PFAS levels are zero — but the remediation approach has been more proactive.
For current numbers, CSU publishes water quality data including PFAS results at coloradospringsutilities.com.
The Ongoing Liability Question
Like Dayton, Colorado Springs is engaged in legal action against the Department of Defense for remediation costs. The city has argued that the contamination originated from Air Force operations and that the federal government should bear cleanup costs. These cases typically take years to resolve; they don't change your current water quality, but they're relevant context for how the contamination came to exist.
Peterson Space Force Base (formerly Peterson Air Force Base) has its own ongoing PFAS investigation and remediation program separate from the city's water treatment operations.
Other Water Quality Considerations in Colorado Springs
PFAS is the headline issue, but Colorado Springs residents should know about a few other characteristics of their water:
Hard water. Colorado Springs water is hard — typically 12–16 GPG depending on source blend and season. This is "very hard" by standard classifications. Not a health hazard, but causes scale buildup in appliances and pipes, and makes soap and shampoo less effective. A water softener will address this; an under-sink RO for drinking water will also remove hardness minerals from drinking and cooking water.
Disinfection byproducts. Like most surface water systems using chlorine, Colorado Springs water contains trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids at levels generally below federal limits. Activated carbon or RO filtration reduces these.
Radium. Colorado Springs water has tested with naturally occurring radium at low levels — generally well below the EPA MCL of 5 pCi/L, but present. Reverse osmosis removes radium.
What Filter Makes Sense for Colorado Springs
Given documented PFAS contamination in the source water, even at current levels that may meet EPA limits, a PFAS-certified filter at your kitchen tap is a reasonable and inexpensive precaution. The compliance deadline for utilities is 2031; that doesn't mean 0 ppt of PFAS in your water between now and then.
Best options:
Reverse osmosis (comprehensive protection):
- APEC ROES-50 Under-Sink RO (~$215) — NSF 58 certified, removes PFAS, radium, hardness minerals, DBPs, and more
- Bluevua RO100ROPOT-LITE Countertop RO (~$299) — no-installation option for renters or anyone avoiding plumbing work
- Waterdrop G3P600 Tankless RO (~$400) — compact, fast-flow, good for smaller kitchens
Certified pitcher (no installation, good PFAS coverage):
- Clearly Filtered Pitcher (~$90) — independently certified for PFAS, lead, and 360+ contaminants; the most effective pitcher on the market
What doesn't work for PFAS: Standard carbon pitcher filters (basic Brita, PUR Standard), most faucet-mount filters, and refrigerator filters are not certified for PFAS removal. You need either RO (most complete) or a filter specifically independently certified to NSF/ANSI P473 for PFAS.
How to Verify Your Current Exposure
Colorado Springs Utilities is notably transparent about its water quality data. Two steps worth taking:
-
Check CSU's PFAS dashboard at coloradospringsutilities.com — they publish quarterly and annual testing results including PFAS compounds at the distribution system level.
-
Check your ZIP's data at PureCity. → Enter your Colorado Springs ZIP at PureCity to see localized contaminant data and how your service area's water compares to federal and health-based thresholds.
The Bigger Military-Base PFAS Pattern
Colorado Springs is far from alone. The EWG's March 2026 UCMR5 data update shows 9,728 contaminated sites across the country. Military installations — Air Force bases, Army installations, National Guard facilities — are among the most significant sources, because AFFF foam was used heavily for decades with little understanding of the contamination consequences.
The list of affected cities near military bases includes Dayton (Wright-Patterson), Tucson (Davis-Monthan AFB), and dozens of others. If you live near any active or former military installation, it's worth checking whether PFAS testing has been conducted and what the results show.
Related Articles
- PFAS in Drinking Water: What It Is, Where It's Found, and How to Filter It
- Dayton, Ohio Water Quality 2026: What's in the Water and What Residents Can Do
Sources: Colorado Springs Utilities Water Quality · EWG PFAS Contamination Map, updated March 2026 · EPA PFAS in Drinking Water · Department of Defense PFAS Response Program · NSF Certified Products Database