Water Quality Report highlights clean drinking water, improved leak rates in Lacey

The City of Lacey's drinking water passed all federal and state safety standards in 2025, while water loss dropped by 137 million gallons from 2024. 

The findings appear in the city's 2026 Water Quality Report, which was released on Tuesday, May 26. 

Mayor Andy Ryder, in a letter that was included in the report, credited city staff for another year of safe, uninterrupted water service. 

"I am pleased Lacey's drinking water met or exceeded all regulations and mandates established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for 2025," Ryder said. "You can rest assured Lacey staff work around the clock to maintain a water system that delivers consistent, high quality drinking water 24/7." 

The distribution network, as of late 2025, was comprised of 436 miles of waterlines, nine reservoirs and more than 25,600 service connections, the report states. 

The city tests for dozens of contaminants every month, among them arsenic, lead, nitrate and bacteria. All levels met federal and state standards in 2025. 

Water loss 

Water loss saw a marked drop last year. Of the total water distributed, 96 percent reached metered customers and 3 percent went to authorized city uses, such as street sweeping and water line flushing. 

Distribution system leakage accounted for the remaining 1 percent, or 31 million gallons. That was 137 million gallons less than 2024. State law caps allowable leakage at 10 percent of total water distributed for utilities of Lacey's size. 

A completed service line inventory, meanwhile, turned up no lead lines in the city's water distribution system or customer connections. 

The report also addresses per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are synthetic chemicals. The city tested all water sources for the chemicals and found all detectable levels below maximum contaminant thresholds set by the EPA and adopted by the Washington State Department of Health. No PFAS treatment facilities are planned at this time, the report states. 

The 2026 report also covers the mandatory summer watering schedule running from June 1 through Sept. 30, backflow prevention requirements, water conservation rebates and the Wellhead Protection Program. 

Printed copies of the report are available at Lacey City Hall, the Community Center and Lacey Veterans Services Hub. For test results and additional information, the public can visit the city's water quality page.