Pierce County · System ID 82844 · Community water system
Is Southwood’s water safe? PFAS test results (Pierce County, WA)
PFAS detected — below state action levels
Southwood detected PFAS in 17 of its 36 tested water sources; every result in the current state dataset (2021–present) is below Washington’s state action levels (latest test May 2026).
Community water system serving Pierce County · 16,534 connections · about 64,155 people.
At least one individual sample measured at or above a federal MCL value (4 ng/L for PFOA/PFOS; 10 ng/L for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA). Compliance with the federal standard is judged on running annual averages at the tap — a single source sample at that level is a flag, not a violation.
PFAS results on record for Southwood
| Analyte | Highest result | WA action level | Federal MCL | Detected at source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFPeA Perfluoropentanoic acid | 264 ng/L | — | — | 185th Well #1 AEF248, Bethel Ridge Well #1 ABA692, Daybreak Well #4 BIQ276, Eastwood Park Well #1 ACV544, Fir Meadows Well #1 ABE947, Fir Meadows Well #2 ABE948, Fir Meadows Well #4 BJN452, Lakewood/45550, Morrey Glen Well #1 ABE950, Oak Hill Well #1 ABE941, WF (S21 & S22 Fir Meadows), WF (S23 & S24 Morrey Glen) |
| PFHxA Perfluorohexanoic acid | 117 ng/L | — | — | 185th Well #1 AEF248, Behm Well #2 BJN455, Bethel Ridge Well #1 ABA692, Daybreak Well #4 BIQ276, Eastwood Park Well #1 ACV544, Fir Meadows Well #1 ABE947, Fir Meadows Well #2 ABE948, Fir Meadows Well #4 BJN452, Lakewood/45550, Morrey Glen Well #1 ABE950, Morrey Glen Well #2 ABS701, Oak Hill Well #1 ABE941, WF (S21 & S22 Fir Meadows), WF (S23 & S24 Morrey Glen) |
| PFBA Perfluorobutanoic acid | 35 ng/L | — | — | Daybreak Well #4 BIQ276, Fir Meadows Well #1 ABE947, Fir Meadows Well #2 ABE948, Fir Meadows Well #4 BJN452, Morrey Glen Well #1 ABE950, Morrey Glen Well #2 ABS701, WF (S21 & S22 Fir Meadows), WF (S23 & S24 Morrey Glen) |
| PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid | 9 ng/L | 15 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 185th Well #1 AEF248, Bethel Ridge Well #1 ABA692, Eastwood Park Well #1 ACV544, Morrey Glen Well #1 ABE950, Morrey Glen Well #2 ABS701, Oak Hill Well #1 ABE941, Tannenbaum Well #2 AAE141, Tannenbaum Well #3 AEF225, WF (S23 & S24 Morrey Glen), WF (S36 & S37 Tannenbaum) |
| PFBS Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid | 8 ng/L | 345 ng/L | — | 185th Well #1 AEF248, Bethel Ridge Well #1 ABA692, Eastwood Park Well #1 ACV544, Fir Meadows Well #2 ABE948, Lakewood/45550, Morrey Glen Well #1 ABE950, Morrey Glen Well #2 ABS701, Oak Hill Well #1 ABE941, Tannenbaum Well #2 AAE141, Tannenbaum Well #3 AEF225, WF (S23 & S24 Morrey Glen), WF (S36 & S37 Tannenbaum) |
| PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid | 7 ng/L | 10 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 185th Well #1 AEF248, Bethel Ridge Well #1 ABA692, Eastwood Park Well #1 ACV544, Morrey Glen Well #1 ABE950, Morrey Glen Well #2 ABS701, Oak Hill Well #1 ABE941, WF (S23 & S24 Morrey Glen) |
| PFHxS Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid | 3 ng/L | 65 ng/L | 10 ng/L | 185th Well #1 AEF248, Fir Meadows Well #2 ABE948, Lakewood/45550, Tannenbaum Well #2 AAE141, Tannenbaum Well #3 AEF225, WF (S36 & S37 Tannenbaum) |
What this means
PFAS was detected in 17 of the 36 sources tested for this system, and every result in the current state dataset (2021–present) is below Washington’s state action levels — the thresholds at which the state requires customer notification and action. Detected-but-below-action-level is exactly what it sounds like: PFAS is present in at least one source at low levels, and the state does not currently require the utility to act on it.
If you’d rather not drink detectable PFAS at any level, the at-the-tap option we plan to offer is under-sink reverse osmosis — manufacturer test data shows RO membranes reduce PFAS. See the planned systems.
These results describe the water system’s sources (wells, intakes), not any individual tap — utilities blend, treat, and rotate sources. Data: Washington State Department of Health public PFAS results and Drinking Water Service Areas, dataset updated 2026-07-22. Latest test on record for this system: 2026-05-21. Informational only — not a certification of water quality and not health advice. If you have concerns about your drinking water, contact your utility or the WA DOH Office of Drinking Water.
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