TRI Facilities
489
EPCRA Section 313 reporters
2023 EPA TRI data 489 facilities 376 water systems
Kentucky Environmental Profile
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2023 Toxics Release Inventory, Safe Drinking Water Information System, and Superfund National Priorities List, this is Kentucky's (KY) full public environmental-compliance record - toxic releases, drinking-water systems, and Superfund sites in one place.
KY regulatory profile by statute
Violation/site counts mapped to the EPA statutes this portal tracks
- CWA · NPDES
Clean Water Act, NPDES (water-system health violations)
195 records
- RCRA · Subtitle C 20
RCRA Subtitle C (Superfund-site proxy)
20 records
What this shows Counts are mapped to statute as a structural proxy and reflect reported activity, not toxicity-weighted or population-adjusted risk. Clean Air Act (Title V) permit data is not currently ingested by this portal, so air-permit compliance is not shown here.
Water Systems
376
SDWIS regulated
Superfund Sites
20
10 active NPL
Total Releases
212.3M lbs
TRI cumulative disclosure
Compliance Snapshot - KY
Sites with no recorded health violations 77.5%
Sites with at least one open violation 22.5%
Kentucky consolidates three federal EPA datasets into one statewide environmental profile: 489 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) facilities reporting under EPCRA Section 313, 376 community water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and 20 sites on the Superfund National Priorities List.
TRI facilities in KY have cumulatively disclosed 212.3M lbs of toxic chemical releases, while SDWIS records show 1,788 total violations across the state's regulated water systems, of which 195 systems carry an active health-based violation (MCL exceedance or treatment-technique failure). Activity clusters in counties such as Jefferson, Boone, Warren, which account for the highest combined facility, water-system, and Superfund presence.
Every figure reflects the public regulatory record as filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is not weighted for toxicity, geographic footprint, or population exposure. A state can rank high in any individual metric because of industrial history, naturally occurring contaminants in source water, or simply the number of reporting facilities, not because current residents face unsafe conditions. Drill into any county or water system below for the full disclosure record.
What does this state's environmental record show?
TRI Facilities
489
Water Systems
376
Superfund Sites
20
Total Violations
1,788
Total Releases
212.3M lbs
Health Violations
195
water systems
Largest Polluters
View all →| # | Facility | Total Releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North American Stainless | 35.2M lbs |
| 2 | Kentucky Utilities Co Ghent Station | 12.4M lbs |
| 3 | U.S. Tva Shawnee Fossil Plant | 10.9M lbs |
| 4 | Big Rivers Electric Corp. Wilson Station | 10.2M lbs |
| 5 | Spurlock Power Station | 8.4M lbs |
| 6 | Perdue Foods LLC - Cromwell Processing Plant | 6.8M lbs |
| 7 | Phoenix Paper Wickliffe LLC | 6.4M lbs |
| 8 | Louisville Gas & Electric Co. - Trimble County Station | 6.2M lbs |
| 9 | Louisville Gas & Electric Co. - Mill Creek Station | 5.8M lbs |
| 10 | Enersys Delaware Inc. | 5.7M lbs |
| 11 | Duke Energy Kentucky Inc. East Bend Generating Station | 4.1M lbs |
| 12 | Real Alloy Recycling LLC | 3.9M lbs |
| 13 | Domtar Paper Co LLC Hawesville Mill | 3.9M lbs |
| 14 | Agc Flat Glass N America Inc | 3.7M lbs |
| 15 | Sekisui Specialty Chemicals America LLC | 3.7M lbs |
| 16 | Clariant Corp 12TH Street Facility | 3.3M lbs |
| 17 | Century Aluminum of Kentucky | 3.0M lbs |
| 18 | Dow Silicones Corp | 3.0M lbs |
| 19 | Ahlstrom Filtration LLC | 3.0M lbs |
| 20 | Century Aluminum Sebree LLC | 2.9M lbs |
Water Quality
Systems with Health Violations
| Water System | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| PROVIDENCE WATER WORKS | 4,538 | 125 |
| MOUNTAIN WATER DIST | 44,057 | 76 |
| UNION COUNTY WATER DISTRICT | 6,117 | 53 |
| EDMONSON CO WATER DISTRICT | 17,848 | 49 |
| MARTIN WATER DEPARTMENT | 1,167 | 49 |
| MARTIN CO WATER DISTRICT #1 | 9,003 | 49 |
| SMITHLAND WATER & SEWER | 989 | 46 |
| REID VILLAGE WATER DISTRICT | 2,545 | 46 |
| SOUTHERN WATER & SEWER DISTRICT | 15,110 | 41 |
| HANSON WATER SYSTEM | 2,157 | 40 |
| CALHOUN WATER WORKS | 966 | 33 |
| UNIONTOWN WATER & SEWER DEPT | 1,496 | 30 |
| BIG SANDY WATER DISTRICT | 13,044 | 29 |
| JENKINS WATER SYSTEM | 2,609 | 27 |
| LEWISBURG WATER WORKS | 3,119 | 26 |
| NEW HAVEN MUNICIPAL WATER WORKS | 1,357 | 26 |
| ALBANY WATER WORKS | 9,042 | 24 |
| STURGIS WATER WORKS | 3,490 | 24 |
| JESSAMINE S ELKHORN WATER DIST | 8,826 | 23 |
| DRAKESBORO WATER DEPARTMENT | 888 | 23 |
Cities with Water Issues
Bardstown
Pop: -
Eminence
Pop: -
Lebanon
Pop: -
Shelbyville
Pop: -
Bowling Green
Pop: -
Louisville
Pop: -
Lawrenceburg
Pop: -
Morehead
Pop: -
Nicholasville
Pop: -
Paris
Pop: -
Owingsville
Pop: -
Stanton
Pop: -
Versailles
Pop: -
Winchester
Pop: -
Berea
Pop: -
Danville
Pop: -
Richmond
Pop: -
Lexington
Pop: -
Frankfort
Pop: -
Corbin
Pop: -
Superfund Sites (20)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| A.L. Taylor (Valley of Drums) | Deleted NPL Site | - |
| Airco | Deleted NPL Site | 33.29 |
| B.F. Goodrich | NPL Site | 33.01 |
| Brantley Landfill | Deleted NPL Site | 52.73 |
| Caldwell Lace Leather Co., Inc. | NPL Site | 34.21 |
| Distler Brickyard | NPL Site | 44.77 |
| Distler Farm | NPL Site | 34.62 |
| Fort Hartford Coal Co. Stone Quarry | Deleted NPL Site | 43.84 |
| General Tire & Rubber Co. (Mayfield Landfill) | Deleted NPL Site | 32.94 |
| Green River Disposal, Inc. | NPL Site | 29.12 |
| Howe Valley Landfill | Deleted NPL Site | 36.73 |
| Lee's Lane Landfill | Deleted NPL Site | 39.52 |
| Maxey Flats Nuclear Disposal | NPL Site | 31.71 |
| National Electric Coil Co./Cooper Industries | NPL Site | 50.00 |
| National Southwire Aluminum Co. | Deleted NPL Site | 50.00 |
| Newport Dump | Deleted NPL Site | 37.63 |
| Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (USDOE) | NPL Site | 56.95 |
| Red Penn Sanitation Co. Landfill | Deleted NPL Site | 38.10 |
| Smith's Farm | NPL Site | 32.69 |
| Tri-City Disposal Co. | NPL Site | 33.82 |
Counties (118 total)
| County | Facilities |
|---|---|
| Jefferson | 76 |
| Boone | 30 |
| Warren | 26 |
| Daviess | 16 |
| Marshall | 12 |
| Christian | 15 |
| Fayette | 12 |
| Harlan | 0 |
| Henderson | 14 |
| Ohio | 8 |
| Graves | 3 |
| Madison | 11 |
| Pulaski | 9 |
| Barren | 9 |
| Hardin | 11 |
| Hopkins | 4 |
| Kenton | 10 |
| Logan | 6 |
| Franklin | 6 |
| Greenup | 5 |
Showing top 20 counties by environmental activity. Kentucky has 118 counties total.
Largest Cities
Bardstown
Pop: -
7 facilities · 1 water systems
Bedford
Pop: -
1 facilities · 1 water systems
Campbellsburg
Pop: -
1 facilities · 1 water systems
Eminence
Pop: -
2 facilities · 1 water systems
Lebanon
Pop: -
6 facilities · 2 water systems
Shelbyville
Pop: -
8 facilities · 1 water systems
Bowling Green
Pop: -
26 facilities · 4 water systems
Smithfield
Pop: -
1 facilities · 0 water systems
Springfield
Pop: -
4 facilities · 1 water systems
Brandenburg
Pop: -
3 facilities · 2 water systems
Fort Knox
Pop: -
1 facilities · 0 water systems
Shepherdsville
Pop: -
1 facilities · 0 water systems
Louisville
Pop: -
77 facilities · 2 water systems
Harrodsburg
Pop: -
3 facilities · 1 water systems
Georgetown
Pop: -
5 facilities · 1 water systems
Lawrenceburg
Pop: -
3 facilities · 2 water systems
Midway
Pop: -
1 facilities · 1 water systems
Morehead
Pop: -
1 facilities · 3 water systems
Mount Sterling
Pop: -
4 facilities · 0 water systems
Nicholasville
Pop: -
4 facilities · 3 water systems
Frequently Asked Questions
How many polluting facilities are in Kentucky? ▼
Kentucky has 489 facilities that report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). These facilities have collectively reported 212.3M lbs in total toxic chemical releases. TRI data is self-reported annually by facilities that manufacture, process, or use listed toxic chemicals above threshold amounts.
Does Kentucky have Superfund sites? ▼
Yes, Kentucky has 20 sites on the EPA Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). Superfund sites are contaminated locations identified for long-term cleanup under the EPA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
Is the water safe in Kentucky? ▼
Kentucky has 376 EPA-regulated water systems. 195 water 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 data is available for Kentucky? ▼
PlainEnviro provides three categories of EPA environmental data for Kentucky: Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data covering 489 industrial facilities, Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) data for 376 water systems, and Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) data for 20 contaminated sites.
How does Kentucky compare to other states environmentally? ▼
Kentucky has 489 TRI facilities with 212.3M lbs in total releases, 20 Superfund sites, and 1,788 water system violations on record. State-level environmental comparisons depend on many factors including industrial activity, population, and geographic size. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL databases.
Explore More Data for Kentucky
TRI Facilities in Kentucky →
Every toxic-release facility reporting in the state, ranked by volume
Drinking Water Systems in Kentucky →
Community water systems and their violation records
Air Quality in Kentucky →
County-level AQI from EPA monitoring stations
Compare states by burden →
EJ screening scores for every U.S. county
State environmental rankings →
How states compare on releases, water and Superfund
Browse all states →
Environmental profiles for every U.S. state
About This Data
This page aggregates environmental data from three EPA programs for Kentucky: the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) for industrial chemical releases, the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) for water quality, and the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) for hazardous waste cleanup sites.
PlainEnviro presents this data without advocacy framing. Numbers reflect reported data and may not capture all environmental activity. For specific health or environmental concerns, contact your state environmental agency.
What to do with Kentucky's data
Use this state profile as a starting point, then drill into the specific dataset that matters to you.
- Check the 489 TRI facilities reporting in Kentucky for the largest reported releases near a specific county. View facilities
- 195 water systems in the state have a recorded health-based violation, check if yours is one of them. Check water systems
- See how Kentucky compares to other states on releases, water violations, and Superfund sites. State rankings
Reported data reflects what facilities and agencies disclose to the EPA; it is not a complete measure of environmental risk or a substitute for local guidance.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro Editorial
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this state profile is drawn from PlainEnviro's database of more than 25,000 EPA-tracked facilities, the Safe Drinking Water Information System, and the Superfund National Priorities List, compiled since federal reporting began under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act in October 1986; see our methodology for full source citations and refresh cadence.
Every figure on PlainEnviro is rendered directly from EPA environmental compliance data, no number is typed in by an editor. State environmental figures are computed directly from EPA data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.