City of Bloomington Utilities Publishes 2026 Drinking Water Quality Report

The City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) has released its 2026 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report, detailing testing results and compliance data from the 2025 calendar year. The report confirms that the city's drinking water met all federal standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This annual disclosure is a critical regulatory requirement that ensures transparency regarding water sources, treatment processes, and the presence of regulated contaminants for utility customers.

The 2026 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), authored by Justin Meschter and Daniel Frank, highlights that Bloomington’s drinking water remained in full compliance with federal safety standards throughout 2025. While the report lists detected levels of disinfectant by-products (DBPs) and total organic carbon, nearly 80 other potential contaminants were tested for and found to be non-existent in the supply. Notably, the report clarifies that because the data was collected in 2025, it does not yet reflect the restoration of fluoridation that took place in January 2026, which will be documented in future cycles.

Beyond the mandatory CCR, the City of Bloomington provides expanded transparency through its Open Data Portal, offering datasets on wastewater, stormwater, and drinking water. This portal includes historical and current information regarding lead and copper levels, as well as organic matter and disinfection byproducts. For the Water & Utilities sector, such proactive data sharing serves as a model for public engagement and regulatory compliance, allowing stakeholders to track water quality trends over time.

A significant finding mentioned in the city's broader data monitoring involves the EPA’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) program. Testing conducted under this framework found no detectable levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called 'forever chemicals,' within Bloomington’s drinking water system. This result is particularly relevant for utility managers facing increasing federal scrutiny over PFAS contamination. Customers seeking further details or paper copies of the report can contact the CBU Water Quality program directly.