Tulsa
OK1020418 · serves about 413,000 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action level✓ No PFAS detected
Lead 90th percentile: 1.5 ppb (period starting 2026-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
Tulsa County tap water: hardness, PFAS and lead
Tulsa County, Oklahoma has about 693,514 residents (Census 2024 estimate) and 15 community water systems in EPA records. The largest local system is Tulsa, serving about 413,000 people from surface water.
! 2 of 6 largest systems with health-based violationsPFAS detected at 1 of 6 sampled systemsHardness 89–140 mg/L, varies by area
Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
How hard is Tulsa County water?
Tulsa Measured (utility report, 2026) · High confidence
89–140 mg/L (varies by area; no single average published)
- A.B. Jewell plant (Lake Oologah): 140 mg/L (8.2 gpg)
- Mohawk plant (Lakes Eucha and Spavinaw): 89 mg/L (5.2 gpg)
Source: Tulsa water quality report, 2026
Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
Softener size at 8.2 gpg
For a 3-person home using 57 gallons per person per day and regenerating weekly, you'd remove about 9,815 grains between regenerations. Suggested size: 24,000 grain. Hardness varies by area here, so this uses the harder plant's figure (8.2 gpg). If your address gets softer water, a smaller unit may do; check your area in the utility report or test your tap.
Estimate only. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
Largest water systems in Tulsa County
The 6 biggest of 15 community water systems on EPA records for this county. Service areas don't follow county lines; your water bill names your provider.
Broken Arrow Municipal Authority
OK1021508 · serves about 116,330 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (6 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2026-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
- PFOS: highest sample 51.3 ppt (4 of 4 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
- PFHxS: highest sample 15.2 ppt (1 of 4 samples); federal limit 10.0 ppt as a running annual average, also counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit (currently in effect; EPA has proposed removing it)
- PFHxA: highest sample 6.9 ppt (2 of 4 samples); no federal limit
- PFPeA: highest sample 6.5 ppt (3 of 4 samples); no federal limit
- PFBA: highest sample 6.4 ppt (1 of 4 samples); no federal limit
- PFBS: highest sample 4.5 ppt (1 of 4 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
Sand Springs
OK1020420 · serves about 28,774 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action level✓ No PFAS detected
Lead 90th percentile: 6.9 ppb (period starting 2022-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
Washington Co Rwd #3 (New,#1)
OK1021418 · serves about 25,375 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detection✓ No PFAS detected
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2023-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
Owasso
OK3007218 · serves about 23,000 people · Surface water
! 1 health-based violation✓ Lead below detection✓ No PFAS detected
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2020-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
Bixby Public Works Authority
OK3007243 · serves about 18,750 people · Surface water
! 1 health-based violation✓ Lead below action level✓ No PFAS detected
Lead 90th percentile: 1.4 ppb (period starting 2026-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
A PFAS detection is not a violation. Federal limits (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS) apply to running annual averages, with compliance required by 2029. In May 2026 EPA proposed extending the PFOA/PFOS deadline to 2031 and removing other PFAS limits; not final as of 2026-10-21.
Test your own tap
These are public records for whole systems. Your home's pipes, fixtures and any private well can change what you drink. A certified lab test or a hardness test strip gives you your own numbers. Then use our PFAS and lead filter selector to see which certifications to look for.
Common questions about Tulsa County water
Is tap water in Tulsa County safe to drink?
2 of the 6 largest systems here have at least one health-based violation in EPA records since October 2021 (see each system below for status). Tulsa's most recent lead 90th percentile was 1.5 ppb (2026), below the 15 ppb action level. Public records can't guarantee what comes out of your tap, especially with older plumbing, so a home test is the surest check.
How hard is the water in Tulsa County?
Tulsa reports hardness from 89 to 140 mg/L depending on where you live, with no single system-wide average, so check your area in its report or test your water. For a 3-person home at 8.2 gpg (the harder plant's figure, since your address may get either), our softener calculator suggests a 24,000 grain unit as a starting point.
Is there PFAS in Tulsa County water?
1 of the 6 sampled systems listed here detected at least one PFAS in EPA's UCMR 5 testing, and 2 results were above the level of a federal limit in at least one sample. A detection isn't a violation: federal PFAS limits apply to running annual averages starting in 2029.
Which water system serves my address in Tulsa County?
Most homes are served by Tulsa or one of the other systems listed on this page, but service areas don't follow county lines. Your water bill names your provider, and its annual Consumer Confidence Report has the full test results.
More Oklahoma counties
Sources for this page
- Water systems, violations since 2021-10-01 and lead results: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), 2026 Q3 release. Each system links to its EPA ECHO record.
- PFAS sampling: EPA UCMR 5 (2023–2026 results).
- Hardness: Tulsa water quality report (2026). We cite the figure and link the report; we don't reproduce it.
- Population: U.S. Census Bureau county population estimates (2024).
Data as of October 21, 2026. Figures are copied from public records and combined with our own calculations; they can be out of date or wrong. Tapped Out isn't affiliated with any utility or the EPA. Written and reviewed by the Tapped Out team. How we calculate · All sources.