Well Water in Payson / Star Valley / Pine-Strawberry, Arizona

Gila County · Population ~20,000 · Aquifer: Payson Granite Basin / C Aquifer (Coconino)

Hardness: Variable

The PCE Contamination Plume

The Payson PCE site was placed on Arizona's WQARF (Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund) Registry on April 29, 1998. Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) — a dry cleaning solvent — contaminated groundwater at levels exceeding Arizona Aquifer Water Quality Standards.

ADEQ traced the contamination to the Old Payson Dry Cleaners, which operated at 904-906 S. Beeline Highway from 1976 to 1984. An expanded groundwater treatment system has been operating since 1998, treating contaminated water and preventing the plume from spreading. Treated water is delivered to the town's drinking water system.

In 2015, ADEQ evaluated enhanced remediation and began bio-stimulation injections in 2016-2017 to accelerate cleanup. The treatment system continues to operate.

If you have a private well near the Beeline Highway corridor in central Payson, test for VOCs.

PFAS in Payson Water

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in two public drinking water systems serving the Payson community. ADEQ is collaborating with the Town on treatment solutions, funded through $42 million in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grants.

PFAS don't break down in the environment. They've been linked to cancer, immune system effects, thyroid disease, and developmental problems. Sources can include firefighting foam (AFFF), industrial discharges, and landfills.

The Town's Water Department tests all groundwater wells for over 100 contaminants. Private well owners should consider PFAS testing if near potential sources — check ADEQ's interactive PFAS map to see sampling results near your well.

Geology and Natural Contaminants

Payson's groundwater comes from a complex geological setting below the Mogollon Rim:

• The Payson granite — Precambrian crystalline bedrock similar to mountain geology across Arizona. Contains uranium-bearing minerals that can contribute arsenic and fluoride.
• The C Aquifer (Coconino) — a massive regional aquifer in the sedimentary rocks above the Rim. Some Payson-area wells tap into this system.

Natural arsenic and fluoride are concerns in the area, consistent with the broader pattern across Arizona's central highlands. Payson's public system monitors and treats for these; private wells don't have that safety net.

Limited Water Supply

Payson's water supply is 100% groundwater — the town has no surface water supply and no CAP allocation. The Payson Water Department has a wellhead protection program to prevent contamination of this sole-source supply.

Water availability is a long-term concern. The Mogollon Rim area receives more precipitation than the desert basins below, but recharge to the local aquifer system is still limited. Population growth in Rim Country communities puts increasing pressure on a finite resource.

For private well owners: monitor your well's yield over time. If production is declining, you're seeing the aquifer respond to increased demand.