Pueblo, CO

High Risk (62/100)

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. This is a different measure than the EJ Screening score for this county, which ranks it by percentile against other tracked counties rather than against these fixed caps.

Environmental data for Pueblo in Colorado · Population: 168,726

TRI sites such as Public Service Co of Colorado Comanche Station; Cs Wind America; Gcc Rio Grande Inc; SDWIS systems such as PUEBLO BOARD OF WW; PUEBLO WEST MD; ST CHARLES MESA WD; NPL sites such as Colorado Smelter anchor Pueblo, CO's EPA extract. Derived burden score 62/100 (High Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

EPCRA disclosures in Pueblo total 11.7M lbs; health-flagged SDWIS rows include PUEBLO WEST MD; COLORADO CITY MD; FOWLER TOWN OF, while Public Service Co of Colorado Comanche Station leads TRI pounds. AQS median AQI 44 / peak 143 in 2024.

Largest TRI sites in the extract: Public Service Co of Colorado Comanche Station; Cs Wind America; Gcc Rio Grande Inc. Named SDWIS systems: PUEBLO BOARD OF WW; PUEBLO WEST MD; ST CHARLES MESA WD. NPL sites on record: Colorado Smelter. Burden score 62/100 (High Risk) is the only weighted composite here; tables reproduce EPA disclosure history, not a current-safety verdict.

Release-over-release change

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

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

-6.4%

16 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

-6.4%

2.3 million lb → 2.1 million lb, every facility that filed

Between the two reporting years, 2 facilities filed for the first time and 0 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.

  • Pueblo, CO's total reported releases fell from 2.3 million lb in 2022 to 2.1 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Pueblo, CO's off-site transfers rose from 242.0 thousand lb in 2022 to 298.7 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Pueblo, CO's water releases fell from 7.7 thousand lb in 2022 to 6.9 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Pueblo, CO's land releases fell from 1.8 million lb in 2022 to 1.6 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
168,726
TRI Facilities
20
Water Systems
15
Superfund Sites
1
Total Releases
11.7M 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 249 (68%) 109 8 143
2023 277 (77%) 84 1 115
2022 317 (91%) 29 3 121
2021 203 (92%) 16 1 138
2020 84 (88%) 12 0 67
2024 Good Air Quality: 68% of days
Unhealthy days: 8
Median AQI: 44

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 (15)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
PUEBLO BOARD OF WW 114,070 0
PUEBLO WEST MD 30,000 6
ST CHARLES MESA WD 9,690 0
COLORADO CITY MD 2,755 87
FOWLER TOWN OF 1,169 12
COUNTRYSIDE ESTATES PUEBLO 508 2
BEULAH WATER WORKS DISTRICT 445 26
PINE DRIVE WD 416 32
BAXTER WATER AND SERVICES 350 9
NORTH POINT ESTATES MHP 271 0
BOONE TOWN OF 263 6
KOURY TRANSPORT 215 1
NEIGHBORS OF DREAMLAND MHP 115 1
CHANCELLORS MHC 100 3
SIGNAL MOUNTAIN RANCH PROPERTY OWNERS WC 66 26

TRI Facilities (20)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Public Service Co of Colorado Comanche Station 8.8M lbs
2 Cs Wind America 1.2M lbs
3 Gcc Rio Grande Inc 764.2K lbs
4 Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel 641.8K lbs
5 Fujifilm Electronic Materials U.S. Inc. 222.4K lbs
6 U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot 106.3K lbs
7 Interstate Chemical Co Inc 14.0K lbs
8 Goodrich Corp 7.7K lbs
9 Alta Fuels LLC - Pueblo Plant 5.1K lbs
10 Airgas USA LLC 4.5K lbs
11 Harsco Metals - Pueblo 2.5K lbs
12 Holcim Wcr Inc Pueblo East Ready Mix Plant 738 lbs
13 Trane Co 246 lbs
14 Safety-Kleen Systems Pueblo (pue) (605204) 22 lbs
15 Pueblo Asphalt Plant 1 lbs
16 Best Block - Pub-B 0 lbs
17 Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant 0 lbs
18 Burnco Colorado LLC - Pueblo 0 lbs
19 Best Block Pubb 0 lbs
20 Summit Pressed Brick & Tile Co 0 lbs

Superfund Sites (1)

Site Name Status HRS Score
Colorado Smelter NPL Site 50.00

Cities in Pueblo (6)

Pueblo
19 facilities · 7 water
Pueblo West
1 facilities · 2 water
Beulah
0 facilities · 3 water
Boone
0 facilities · 1 water
Colorado City
0 facilities · 1 water
Fowler
0 facilities · 1 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Pueblo, Colorado?
Pueblo, CO has an environmental risk score of 62/100 (High Risk), based on 20 TRI facilities, 1 Superfund sites, and 15 water systems on record. 12 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Pueblo?
Yes, Pueblo, CO has 1 Superfund site 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 Pueblo?
Pueblo, CO has 20 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 11.7M lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Pueblo?
In 2024, Pueblo, CO recorded a median AQI of 44 and a peak AQI of 143. 68% 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 Pueblo?
Pueblo, CO has 15 EPA-regulated water systems. 12 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 Pueblo?
Environmental compliance in Pueblo, 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

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