Vancouver, Washington

Environmental Quality Report Card

Vancouver reports good air quality, with AQI levels better than the national average. Water tests indicate safe conditions across key measures. Facility compliance with environmental standards is below the national average.

Air Quality (Annual Overview)

Grade A
26.2 AQI

Yearly average AQI (2024): 26.2. National average: 41.4. 22 moderate days, 1 unhealthy days recorded.

Water Quality (Key Indicators)

Grade A
7.1 pH

Latest pH level (2024): 7.1. Ideal range: 6.5–8.5.

Facility Violations

Grade F
160 significant violations

Facilities like factories and treatment plants had 160 significant and 1238 total violations reported in 2024.

Water Quality (with EPA Standards)

Water quality measurements are provided by the Water Quality Portal , a collaboration between the USGS, EPA, and other agencies.

Characteristic Local Value Safe Range Grade Last Measured
Ammonia 0.04 mg/L <0.5 A 12/18/2024
pH 7.10 6.5 - 8.5 A 12/18/2024
Turbidity 20.00 NTU <5 F 12/18/2024

Water Quality (No EPA Standard)

These measurements do not have formal EPA standards but are still important indicators of local water quality.

Characteristic Local Value Unit Last Measured
Aluminum 8.55 ug/L 8/13/2024
Biochemical oxygen demand, non-standard conditions 1.60 mg/L 12/18/2024
Magnesium 2.57 mg/L 8/13/2024
Total suspended solids 16.00 mg/L 12/18/2024
Conductivity 172.00 umho/cm 12/18/2024
Total Phosphorus, mixed forms 0.07 mg/L 12/18/2024
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.20 mg/L 12/18/2024
Sodium 6.37 mg/L 8/13/2024
Potassium 1.09 mg/L 8/13/2024
Orthophosphate 0.03 mg/L 12/18/2024
Dissolved oxygen saturation 113.00 % 12/18/2024
Chlorophyll a 3.30 ug/L 8/13/2024
Escherichia coli 78.00 MPN/100mL 12/18/2024
Alkalinity, total 23.00 mg/L 12/18/2024
Calcium 16.60 mg/L 8/13/2024
Temperature, water 8.20 deg C 12/18/2024
Nitrate + Nitrite 1.16 mg/L 12/18/2024
Total solids 108.00 mg/L 12/18/2024
Pheophytin a 4.70 ug/L 8/13/2024
Organic carbon 1.32 mg/L 12/18/2024
Hardness, Ca, Mg 60.70 mg/L 8/13/2024

Air Quality Details (2024–2025)

The Air Quality Index (AQI) measures how clean or polluted the air is. A lower AQI means cleaner air. Main pollutants include particulate matter like PM2.5, ozone, and others regulated by EPA standards.
Air quality data sourced from OpenAQ, aggregating official monitoring stations.

Yearly Average AQI National Average AQI Good Days Moderate Days Unhealthy Days Worst Day AQI Top Pollutant
26.2 41.4 293 22 1 118 (on 3/3/2025) PM2.5

Monthly AQI Trend

Monthly average AQI values over the past year. Lower values are better. Peaks may indicate pollution events.

Facility Compliance

Facility compliance and violation data come from the EPA's ECHO database.

2,942 monitored facilities

Total Violations: 1238

Significant Violations: 160

Total Penalties: $5,766,040

Despite 160 significant violations, Vancouver reported 1,238 total violations across monitored facilities in 2024. This results in a compliance grade of F, reflecting below average adherence to environmental standards compared to national benchmarks.

About the Data

This report uses the latest publicly available environmental data:

  • Air Quality: Data sourced from the OpenAQ Platform, aggregating official air quality monitoring stations near Vancouver.
  • Water Quality: Measurements from the Water Quality Portal, a collaboration between the USGS, EPA, and other agencies.
  • Facility Compliance: Sourced from the EPA's ECHO Database, detailing facility violations, penalties, and compliance rates.

All data is refreshed regularly and reflects the latest available figures for 2024.