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Boulder, CO

Moderate Risk (58/100)

Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology.

Environmental data for Boulder in Colorado · Population: 328,317

TRI sites such as Micro Motion Inc.; Corden Pharma Colorado Inc; Circle Graphics Inc; SDWIS systems such as BOULDER CITY OF; LONGMONT CITY OF; LAFAYETTE CITY OF; NPL sites such as Captain Jack Mill; Marshall Landfill anchor Boulder, CO's EPA extract. Derived burden score 58/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Boulder include BOULDER CITY OF; LOUISVILLE CITY OF; SUPERIOR MD NO 1, while Micro Motion Inc. leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 49 / peak 154 in 2024.

Burden score 58/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Boulder -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.

Release-over-release change

What changed for Boulder, CO: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

-45.0%

16 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

-45.0%

120.8 thousand lb → 66.4 thousand lb, every facility that filed

  • Boulder, CO's total reported releases fell from 120.8 thousand lb in 2022 to 66.4 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Boulder, CO's land releases rose from 317 lb in 2022 to 846 lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Boulder, CO's off-site transfers fell from 78.9 thousand lb in 2022 to 32.2 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Boulder, CO's air releases fell from 41.6 thousand lb in 2022 to 33.3 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
328,317
TRI Facilities
19
Water Systems
34
Superfund Sites
2
Total Releases
440.1K lbs

Air Quality History (2020–2024)

EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy (SG) Max AQI
2024 212 (58%) 144 9 154
2023 192 (53%) 167 4 181
2022 224 (61%) 134 7 129
2021 154 (42%) 176 32 160
2020 173 (47%) 172 19 181
2024 Good Air Quality: 58% of days
Unhealthy days: 10
Median AQI: 49

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)

For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Colorado, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.

Water Systems (34)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
BOULDER CITY OF 166,080 2
LONGMONT CITY OF 104,178 0
LAFAYETTE CITY OF 28,700 0
LOUISVILLE CITY OF 20,975 4
LEFT HAND WD 20,280 0
SUPERIOR MD NO 1 17,900 5
LYONS TOWN OF 2,990 3
NEDERLAND TOWN OF 2,406 3
PINE BROOK HILLS WD 1,100 0
MILE HI WATER INC HAULER 1,000 4
ARBORDALE ACRES MHP 901 2
BOULDER RIDGE MHP 897 0
SAN LAZARO MFCTD HOUSING COMMUNITY 844 3
PINEWOOD SPRINGS WD 745 48
CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ESTATES MHP 472 1
SHANNON WSD 450 0
SKYLARK MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY 342 0
ALLENSPARK WSD 340 3
EAST BOULDER COUNTY WD 300 0
JAMESTOWN TOWN OF 280 11
LEFTHAND WSD LAKE PINES 250 0
WARD TOWN OF 230 0
PERENFRA TX 586 180 0
SANS SOUCI COOPERATIVE 150 19
GOLDEN POND VILLAGE MHP 135 0
DALLAS MEADOWS COMMUNITY ASSOC 120 0
SPRING VALLEY MUTUAL WA 100 2
FORTUNE BRANCH VILLAGE MHP 80 0
MEADOW MTN WATER SUPPLY 76 0
LARK MEADOWS WA 75 0
PINE LAKE VILLAGE 65 1
PERENFRA TX 45 0
MAPLE GROVE WD 35 0
1610 LLC (WILLOW MANOR APTS) 35 0

TRI Facilities (19)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Micro Motion Inc. 202.5K lbs
2 Corden Pharma Colorado Inc 136.3K lbs
3 Circle Graphics Inc 47.3K lbs
4 Cemex Construction Materials South LLC 21.1K lbs
5 Corden Pharma Colorado Sterling Drive 14.5K lbs
6 Lexmark International Inc 11.9K lbs
7 Agilent Technologies Boulder Co 4.0K lbs
8 Dieterich Standard Inc 1.4K lbs
9 Dharmacon Inc 1.1K lbs
10 Western Foundries Inc 128 lbs
11 National Institute of Standard&technology Boulder 27 lbs
12 Matheson Trigas Longmont Co Branch 8 lbs
13 Smyrna Ready Mix Concrete LLC - Rock Creek Ready Mix 2 lbs
14 Smyrna Ready Mix Concrete LLC - Valmont Ready Mix 2 lbs
15 Kryptane Systems 0 lbs
16 Ready Mixed Concrete Co Plant 14 0 lbs
17 Arcosa Esc Boulder 0 lbs
18 Mks Instruments Inc Hps Pro Ducts Div 0 lbs
19 Boulder Ready-Mix 0 lbs

Superfund Sites (2)

Site Name Status HRS Score
Captain Jack Mill NPL Site 50.56
Marshall Landfill NPL Site 0.00

Cities in Boulder (12)

Longmont
12 facilities · 2 water
Boulder
10 facilities · 13 water
Lafayette
3 facilities · 12 water
Louisville
1 facilities · 1 water
Allenspark
0 facilities · 2 water
Lyons
0 facilities · 2 water
Jamestown
0 facilities · 1 water
Nederland
0 facilities · 1 water
Niwot
0 facilities · 1 water
Superior
0 facilities · 1 water
Ward
0 facilities · 1 water
Boulder County
0 facilities · 0 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Boulder, Colorado? ▼
Boulder, CO has an environmental risk score of 58/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 19 TRI facilities, 2 Superfund sites, and 34 water systems on record. 15 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Boulder? ▼
Yes, Boulder, CO has 2 Superfund sites on the EPA National Priorities List (NPL). Superfund sites are contaminated locations that require long-term cleanup under the EPA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
How many toxic release facilities are in Boulder? ▼
Boulder, CO has 19 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 440.1K lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Boulder? ▼
In 2024, Boulder, CO recorded a median AQI of 49 and a peak AQI of 154. 58% of monitored days had "Good" air quality (AQI 0–50). Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County.
Is the drinking water safe in Boulder? ▼
Boulder, CO has 34 EPA-regulated water systems. 15 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Boulder? ▼
Environmental compliance in Boulder, Colorado is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the Colorado state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

What does this county environmental profile show?

This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.

Related Guides

Understanding EPA Data
How EPA collects and publishes environmental data
Environmental Justice
Who lives near polluters and environmental hazards
How to Check Environmental Quality
Step-by-step guide to checking your local environment

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro