Colorado
Security-Widefield
Your water system exceeds federal PFAS limits. We recommend taking action.
- Population served
- 28K
- Systems tested
- 1
- Compounds detected
- 29
- Above federal limits
- 3
Source: EPA UCMR 5 · Samples collected 2023–2026
Read the full investigation
PFAS in Security-Widefield, CO: Military Base Contamination and Your Drinking WaterEPA testing of the Widefield Water and Sanitation District shows three PFAS compounds above federal limits, including PFOS and PFHxS. The chemicals came from decades of firefighting foam use at Peterson Space Force Base.
What was found in Security-Widefield’s water
3 PFAS compounds exceed federal drinking water limits in Security-Widefield’s water supply.
WIDEFIELD WSD
Serves 28K people · SWP
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
About PFAS contamination in Security-Widefield
## Summary
Security-Widefield's drinking water has received a D grade, meaning residents are being served water with PFAS chemical levels that exceed federal safety limits. The Widefield Water and Sanitation District's water tests show PFOS at 9.9 parts per trillion, 2.48 times the EPA's limit of 4 ppt, and PFOA at 9.1 parts per trillion, or 2.27 times the federal limit. PFHxS was also detected at 19.4 parts per trillion, nearly double the EPA's 10 ppt limit. The contamination has been traced to firefighting foam, known as AFFF, used at nearby Peterson Space Force Base.
## What the data shows
Testing of the Widefield Water and Sanitation District identified 15 distinct PFAS compounds in the water supply, with at least three exceeding federal limits. Beyond the compounds with established limits, several others were detected at concentrations that currently have no federal ceiling, including PFBA at 26.1 ppt and PFPeA at 57.4 ppt, a notably high reading for a compound without a regulatory threshold. The presence of multiple unregulated compounds alongside those already over federal limits reflects the complexity of the contamination picture here.
## What residents should know
The Department of Defense is involved in remediation efforts, and the community has been placed on an alternate water supply, residents should contact Widefield Water and Sanitation District directly to confirm the current status of that supply and whether it affects their home. For those seeking additional protection, filters certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 58 (reverse osmosis) or Standard 53 are independently verified to reduce PFAS levels. Contact Widefield WSD at their customer service line for the most up-to-date testing results and supply information.
About this summary: Narrative text on this page was drafted by an AI model (claude-sonnet-4-6) from EPA UCMR 5 data and reviewed before publication. The numeric data above is reported by water utilities directly to the EPA. If you spot an error, email data@checkyourwater.org.
What happened next in Security-Widefield
A running record of how government, utilities, and the community have responded since this data went public.
- Government Action
DoD updates cleanup status for Peterson Space Force Base
As of March 2025, the Department of Defense reported it has completed preliminary assessment and site inspection at 703 installations nationwide. The former Peterson Air Force Base, source of PFAS contamination in Security-Widefield, remains in the active cleanup pipeline.
- Government Action
Air Force funds $9 million PFAS treatment upgrade in Fountain
The U.S. Air Force agreed to pay $9 million toward cutting-edge water treatment in the Fountain area, near Security-Widefield, after PFAS contamination from firefighting foam used at the former Peterson Air Force Base.
What Security-Widefield residents can do
Security-Widefield's water exceeds federal PFAS limits. We recommend residents take action:
- Install a reverse osmosis (RO) or activated-carbon water filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 or 58 for PFAS reduction. RO systems remove the widest range of PFAS compounds.
- Do NOT boil your water to remove PFAS. Boiling concentrates them.
- Request your most recent Consumer Confidence Report from your utility and ask when PFAS treatment will be installed.
- Contact your local elected officials and water utility board to demand a remediation timeline.
- Get independent water testing through services like Tap Score (mytapscore.com) if you want to verify your in-home levels.
- Talk to your healthcare provider about PFAS exposure, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or have young children.
Primary contamination source: Peterson Space Force Base (AFFF)
Settlement information: DoD remediation; community on alternate supply
How Security-Widefield compares
Security-Widefield is one of 1 community we track in Colorado where PFAS levels exceed federal limits.
Where this data comes from
- Testing program: EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle (UCMR 5)
- Testing period: 2023–2026
- Federal limits: EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) finalized April 2024
- Methodology: Read how we calculate grades
- Raw EPA data: EPA UCMR Occurrence Data
This data reflects EPA testing. Your water utility may have more recent results. Contact them directly for the most current information.