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Is Decatur Tap Water Safe to Drink?

Yes! Generally Safe to Drink*

LAST UPDATED: 7:48 pm, July 17, 2022
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Table of Contents

Can You Drink Tap Water in Decatur?

Yes, Decatur's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Decatur has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.

According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Decatur's water utility, Decatur (Municipal Utilities Board Of), had 0 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. The last violation for Decatur was resolved on March 31, 2014. This assessment is based on the Decatur (Municipal Utilities Board Of) water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.

While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.

The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.

Water Quality Report for Decatur Tap Water

The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Decatur tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.

Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.

EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.

There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.

We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Decatur's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.

Decatur Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years

Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named Decatur (Municipal Utilities Board Of) for Decatur in Alabama. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.

From March 1, 2014 to March 31, 2014, Decatur had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Surface Water Treatment Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule.

Is there Lead in Decatur Water?

Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Decatur water system, Decatur (Municipal Utilities Board Of), between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.0 mg/L of lead in Decatur water. This is 0% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Decatur contained more lead.

While Decatur water testing may have found 0.0 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.

No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.

Are there PFAS in Decatur Tap Water?

Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Redstone Arsenal - near Decatur with suspected leaks.

With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Decatur has been evaluated for yet.

Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.

Decatur SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years

Compliance Period Status Health-Based? Category Code Code Rule Code Contaminant Code Rule Group Code Rule Family Code
03/01/2014 - 03/31/2014 Resolved No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) (36) Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (123) Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (0800) Microbials (100) Surface Water Treatment Rules (120)

What do these Violations Mean?

Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.

Health Based Violations

  1. Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
  2. Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
  3. Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.

Non-Health Based Violations

  1. Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
  2. Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
  3. Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.

SDWA Table Key

Field Description
Compliance Period Dates of the compliance period.
Status Current status of the violation.
  • Resolved - The violation has at least one resolving enforcement action. In SDWIS, this indicates that either the system has returned to compliance from the violation, the rule that was violated was no longer applicable, or no further action was needed.
  • Archived - The violation is not Resolved, but is more than five years past its compliance period end date. In keeping with the Enforcement Response Policy, the violation no longer contributes to the public water system's overall compliance status. Unresolved violations are also marked as Archived when a system ceases operations (becomes inactive).
  • Addressed - The violation is not Resolved or Archived, and is addressed by one or more formal enforcement actions.
  • Unaddressed - The violation is not Resolved or Archived, and has not been addressed by formal enforcement.
show details
Health-Based? Whether the violation is health based.
Category Code
The category of violation that is reported.
  • TT - Treatment Technique Violation
  • MRDL - Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level
  • Other - Other Violation
  • MCL - Maximum Contaminant Level Violation
  • MR - Monitoring and Reporting
  • MON - Monitoring Violation
  • RPT - Reporting Violation
show details
Code A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table.
Contaminant Code A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation.
Rule Code Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
  • 110 - Total Coliform Rule
  • 121 - Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 122 - Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 123 - Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 130 - Filter Backwash Rule
  • 140 - Ground Water Rule
  • 210 - Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 220 - Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 230 - Total Trihalomethanes
  • 310 - Volatile Organic Chemicals
  • 331 - Nitrates
  • 332 - Arsenic
  • 333 - Inorganic Chemicals
  • 320 - Synthetic Organic Chemicals
  • 340 - Radionuclides
  • 350 - Lead and Copper Rule
  • 410 - Public Notice Rule
  • 420 - Consumer Confidence Rule
  • 430 - Miscellaneous
  • 500 - Not Regulated
  • 111 - Revised Total Coliform Rule
show details
Rule Group Code Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
  • 120 - Surface Water Treatment Rules
  • 130 - Filter Backwash Rule
  • 140 - Groundwater Rule
  • 210 - Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 220 - Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 230 - Total Trihalomethanes
  • 310 - Volatile Organic Chemicals
  • 320 - Synthetic Organic Chemicals
  • 330 - Inorganic Chemicals
  • 340 - Radionuclides
  • 350 - Lead and Copper Rule
  • 400 - Other
  • 500 - Not Regulated
  • 110 - Total Coliform Rules
  • 410 - Public Notice Rule
  • 420 - Consumer Confidence Rule
  • 430 - Miscellaneous
show details
Rule Family Code Code for rule family.
  • 100 - Microbials
  • 200 - Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 300 - Chemicals
  • 400 - Other
  • 500 - Not Regulated
show details

For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.

Decatur Water - Frequently Asked Questions

HOW DO I CONTACT DECATUR CUSTOMER SERVICE?
To contact customer service for the Decatur water provider, Decatur (Municipal Utilities Board Of), please use the information below.
By Phone: 256-552-1428
By Mail: P O BOX 2232
DECATUR, AL, 35603
HOW TO PAY BILL FOR DECATUR (MUNICIPAL UTILITIES BOARD OF)
Already have an account?

Existing customers can login to their Decatur (Municipal Utilities Board Of) account to pay their Decatur water bill by clicking here.

Want to create a new account?

If you want to pay your Decatur (Municipal Utilities Board Of) bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Decatur water bill.

Want to pay without an account?

If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Decatur water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.

HOW TO START & STOP DECATUR WATER SERVICE
Starting Your Service

Moving to a new house or apartment in Decatur means you will often need to put the water in your name with Decatur (Municipal Utilities Board Of). In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.

Start Service Form

Want to create a new account?

Leaving your house or apartment in Decatur means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with Decatur (Municipal Utilities Board Of). In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.

Stop Service Form

USER SUBMITTED RATINGS

Decatur tap water
  • Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility 27% Low
  • Water Pollution 49% Moderate
  • Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility 73% High
  • Water Quality 52% Moderate

The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Decatur, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).

Related FAQS

Decatur Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)

The EPA mandates that towns and cities consistently monitor and test their tap water. They must report their findings in an annual Consumer Confidence Report. Below is the most recent water quality report from Decatur's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.

Office Hours

Monday ‐ Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Board Members

Chairman: Neal A. Holland, Jr.

Term: July 1, 2014‐June 30, 2023

Secretary: Tom Counts

Term: July 1, 2017‐June 30, 2026

Member: Al Cheatham

Term: January 2, 2018–June 30, 2020

DECATUR UTILITIES WATER SOURCE

Decatur U li es serves approximately 25,000 customers in all por ons of the City of Decatur and rou nely provides water to the City of Hartselle, Northeast Morgan County Water District, Limestone County, and the Town of Trinity. West Morgan East Lawrence Water District has the capability to buy water from Decatur U li es upon request.

We obtain 100% of our water from Wheeler Reservoir on the Tennessee River. Our Water Treatment Plant has the capacity to treat 68 million gallons per day (MGD) of raw water. Chemical treatment consists of sodium permanganate for oxida on, fluoride to promote dental health, polyaluminum chloride for coagula on, lime for pH adjustment, poly‐orthophosphate for stabiliza on, and chlorine for disinfec on. There are four in‐ ground water storage tanks and six elevated storage tanks which provide a combined storage capacity of 23,967,000 gallons of water.

SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT

Our goal is to protect

our water supply from any

future contamination. The

Alabama Department of

Environmental Management (ADEM) and the Tennessee Valley

Authority (TVA) prepared a Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) report on our water supply in 2000. The SWAP report assessed the susceptibility of our untreated water sources to potential contamination. Our water system was rated as having a moderate risk from contamination. This report is available for review at the DU Main Office during normal business hours or by appointment.

To learn more about Decatur Utilities and your water supply, we encourage you to attend any of our regularly scheduled DU Board Meetings normally held on the third Wednesday of each month at 8:00 a.m. in our Main Office located at 1002 Central Parkway SW.

LEAD AND DRINKING WATER

If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with private service lines and home plumbing. DU is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. Lead is rarely found in source water.

When your water has been si ng for several hours, you can minimize the poten al for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using the water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water you may wish to have your water tested. Informa on on lead in drinking water, tes ng methods and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800‐426‐4791) or at https://www.epa.gov/ ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about- lead-drinking-water.

Definitions and Abbreviations

Ac on Level (AL) ‐ the concentra on of a contaminant that, if exceeded, triggers some follow‐up ac on.

Alabama Department of Environmental

Management (ADEM) ‐ the state environmental

regulatory agency.

Alabama Water Pollu on Control Associa on (AWPCA) ‐

a charitable organiza on to advance knowledge about water supply and treatment .

Coliform Absent (ca) ‐ Laboratory analysis indicates coliform bacteria not present.

Disinfec on Byproducts ‐ formed when disinfectants used in water treatment plants react with natural organic ma er present in the source water and produce byproducts.

Distribu on System Evalua on (DSE) ‐ a one‐year study conducted by water systems to monitor disinfec on byproducts.

Environmental Protec on Agency (EPA) ‐ the na on's environmental

regulatory agency.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) ‐ highest level of contaminant allowed in drinking water.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) ‐ the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. Maximum Residual Disinfec on Level (MRDL) ‐ maximum levels for disinfectants, set as close to the health goals as possible.

Maximum Residual Disinfec on Level Goal (MRDLG) ‐ non‐enforceable health goals, based on possible health risks and exposure over a life me, with an adequate margin of safety.

Microsiemens (1/1,000,000 siemen) per cen meter (µS/cm) – a measure of

Specific Conductance.

Millirems per year (mrem/yr) ‐ measure of radia on absorbed by the body. Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) ‐ a measure of the clarity of water. Non‐Detects (ND) ‐ laboratory analysis indicates that the contaminant is not present at a detectable level.

Not Required (NR) ‐ laboratory analysis not required due to waiver.

Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter (µg/l) ‐ corresponds to one

minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.

Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l) ‐ corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in $10,000.

Parts per quadrillion (ppq) or Picograms per liter (picograms/l) ‐ corresponds to one minute in 2,000,000,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000,000,000.

Parts per trillion (ppt) or Nanograms per liter (nanograms/l) ‐ corresponds to one minute in 2,000,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000,000. Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) ‐ a measure of the radioac vity in water. Running annual average (RAA) ‐ the required method of calcula ng compliance on disinfec on byproducts, TTHM and HAA5.

Specific Conductance (SC) – A measure of how well water can conduct an electrical current

Threshold Odor Number (TON) ‐ the greatest dilu on of a sample with odor‐ free water that yields a barely detectable odor.

Treatment Technique (TT) ‐ a required process to reduce a contaminant. Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) ‐ EPA program to collect data for contaminants suspected to be present in drinking water, but that do not have health‐based standards.

Variances & Exemp ons (V&E) ‐ State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain condi ons.

2020 ANNUAL

WATER QUALITY REPORT

Testing Performed January - December 2019

P O Box 2232 (35609)

1002 Central Parkway SW

Decatur, AL 35601

Phone (256) 552-1400

www.decaturutilities.com

EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Decatur Utilities Water Treatment Plant has been recognized numerous times for outstanding service, receiving several excellence awards over the years. The most recent awards are:

  • AWPCA Best Operated Plant Award two consecutive years (2018, 2019)
  • AWPCA Best Operated Distribution System three consecutive years (2015-2017)
  • ADEM Optimized Plant Award six consecutive years (2013-2018)

MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER

Decatur U li es is proud to present to you this year's Annual Water Quality Report. This report is designed to inform you about the source and quality of your drinking water. We have prepared this report using the data from water quality tes ng conducted for the water system from January through December 2019.

At Decatur U li es, we deliver more than high quality water. We deliver a key resource for public health, fire protec on, industry, the economy, and the overall quality of life we enjoy in Northern Alabama. We also deliver great value. Our current residen al rates con nue to be one of the lowest in the state. We take great pride in “providing safe, reliable utility service at the lowest possible rates while meeting the needs of customers and employees.”

If you have any questions or concerns about this report or your water utility, please contact our Water Treatment Plant at (256) 552-1480. To obtain additional copies of this report, please call Customer Service at (256) 552-1400 or visit us online at www.decaturutilities.com.

More information about contaminants in drinking water and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

Ray Hardin, General Manager

Please Share this Report

Landlords, businesses, schools, hospitals and other groups are encouraged to share this important water quality informa on with water users at their loca on.

DRINKING WATER INFORMATION

The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bo led water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and radioac ve material, and it can pick up substances resul ng from the presence of animals or from human ac vity.

All drinking water, including bo led water, may be reasonably expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. MCLs, defined in the DefiniƟons and AbbreviaƟons in this report, are set at very stringent levels. To understand the possible health effects described for many regulated cons tuents, a person would have to drink 2 liters of water every day at the MCL level for a life me to have a one‐in‐a‐ million chance of having the described health effect.

Contaminants that may be present in source water include: Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from wastewater treatment plants, sep c systems, agricultural livestock opera ons, and wildlife.

Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be

Decatur U li es has been granted a waiver to reduce sampling for Lead/Copper and SOCs to once every three years. This is based on prior sampling events not detec ng these contaminants. Based on a study conducted by ADEM with EPA approval, a statewide waiver for monitoring of asbestos and dioxin was issued. Therefore, these contaminants were not sampled. This report contains results from the most recent monitoring which was performed in accordance with the regulatory schedule.

Constituents Monitored

Date Monitored

Inorganic Contaminants

2019

Lead/Copper

2018

Microbiological Contaminants

2019

Nitrates

2019

Radioactive Contaminants

2012

Synthetic Organic Contaminants

2017

Volatile Organic Contaminants

2019

Disinfection Byproducts

2019

Cryptosporidium

2017

UCMR4

2019-2020

DSE Disinfection Byproducts

2017

The

EPA’s

Unregulated

Contaminant

Monitoring

Rule

4 (UCMR4)

required

some water

systems to

monitor for 30 unregulated contaminants during 2018‐2020. Our system began sampling in 2019 and the results are shown below.

UCMR4 DETECTED UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS

 

Contaminant

Amount Detected

Range

 

 

 

(ug/L)

(ug/L)

 

 

Raw Water (Before

Water Treatment Plant)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bromide

21.1

21.1*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Organic Carbon

1640

1640*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entry Point Data (Water Treatment Plant)

 

 

 

Manganese

1.8

1.8*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distribution System Data

 

 

 

HAA5

26.31

14.44-32.24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAA6Br

9.89

7.34-11.45

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAA9

35.54

21.24-42.95

 

 

 

 

 

 

*At the time of publication one sample has been collected.

Below is a table of contaminants for which the Environmental Protec on Agency and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management require tes ng. These contaminants were not detected in your drinking water unless they are also listed in the Detected Drinking Water Contaminants table.

STANDARD LIST OF PRIMARY DRINKING WATER CONTAMINANTS

Contaminant

MCL

Unit of

Contaminant

MCL

Unit of

Msmt

Msmt

Bacteriological

 

 

trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

100

ppb

Contaminants

 

 

Total Coliform Bacteria

<5%

present/

Dichloromethane

5

ppb

 

 

absent

 

 

 

Fecal Coliform and E. coli

0

present/

1,2-Dichloropropane

5

ppb

 

 

absent

 

 

 

Turbidity

TT

NTU

Di (2-ethylhexyl)adipate

400

ppb

Cryptosporidium

TT

Calc.organ

Di (2-ethylhexyl)phthalate

6

ppb

 

 

-isms/l

 

 

 

Radiological Contaminants

 

 

Dinoseb

7

ppb

Beta/photon emitters

4

mrem/yr

Dioxin [2,3,7,8-TCDD]

30

ppq

Alpha emitters

15

pCi/l

Diquat

20

ppb

Combined radium

5

pCi/l

Endothall

100

ppb

Uranium

30

pCi/l

Endrin

2

ppb

Inorganic Chemicals

 

 

Epichlorohydrin

TT

TT

Antimony

6

ppb

Ethylbenzene

700

ppb

Arsenic

10

ppb

Ethylene dibromide

50

ppt

Asbestos

7

MFL

Glyphosate

700

ppb

naturally‐occurring or from urban storm water run‐off, wastewater discharges, oil/gas produc on, mining, or farming. Pes cides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, storm water run‐off, and residen al uses.

Organic chemical contaminants, including synthe c and volatile organic chemicals, which are by‐products of industrial processes and petroleum produc on, and can also come from gas sta ons, urban storm water runoff, and sep c systems.

Radioac ve contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas produc on and mining ac vi es.

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regula ons which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administra on (FDA) regula ons establish limits for contaminants in bo led water.

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general popula on. Immuno‐ compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be par cularly at risk from infec ons. People at risk should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

Decatur U li es also tests your source water for pathogens, such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia. These pathogens can enter the water from animal or human waste. General informa on for immunocompromised persons is available on the official website of the Center for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov/parasites/ crypto/gen_info/infect_ic.html or from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426‐4791. This language does not indicate the presence of cryptosporidium in our drinking water.

MONITORING SCHEDULE

The Environmental Protec on Agency (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and the State of Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) regula ons allow monitoring waivers to reduce or eliminate monitoring requirements for asbestos, vola le organic chemicals (VOCs), lead and copper, and synthe c organic chemicals (SOCs).

As you can see by the table of Detected Drinking Water Contaminants below, our system had no viola ons. We have determined through our monitoring and tes ng that some cons tuents have been detected. For assistance interpre ng these tables, reference the DefiniƟons and AbbreviaƟons sec on on the reverse side.

DETECTED DRINKING WATER CONTAMINANTS

Contaminant Type

Violation

Level

 

Unit

 

 

 

 

 

YES/NO

Detected

Range

Msmt

MCLG

MCL

Likely Source of Contamination

Regulated Contaminants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chlorine

NO

RAA 2.58

2.22-2.98

ppm

MRDLG=4

MRDL=4

Water additive used to control microbes

Total Organic Carbon

NO

RAA 1.0

0.7-1.3

ppm

n/a

TT

Soil runoff

Turbidity (filtered)

NO

Highest 0.099

0.022–0.099

NTU

n/a

TT

Soil runoff

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copper

NO

0.274*

0.012-1.85

ppm

1.3

AL=1.3

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits;

leaching from preservatives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fluoride - WTP

NO

1.11

0.06-1.11

ppm

4

4

Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth;

discharge from factories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lead

NO

ND**

ND-19

ppb

0

AL=15

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosionof natural deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nitrate (as Nitrogen)

NO

0.57

0.57

ppm

10

10

Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of

natural deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TTHM [Total trihalomethanes]

NO

HRAA 29.9

9.2 - 61.0

ppb

0

80

By-product of drinking water chlorination

HAA5 [Total haloacetic acids]

NO

HRAA 22.8

7.7 - 36.0

ppb

0

60

By-product of drinking water chlorination

Unregulated Contaminants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chloroform

NO

0.00196

0.00196

ppm

n/a

n/a

Naturally occurring in the environment or from runoff

Bromodichloromethane

NO

0.00138

0.00138

ppm

n/a

n/a

Naturally occurring in the environment or from runoff

Chlorodibromomethane

NO

ND

ND

ppm

n/a

n/a

Naturally occurring in the environment or from runoff

Secondary Contaminants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alkalinity, Total (as CA, Co3)

NO

62

34-65

ppm

none

none

Caused by carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides, phosphates, silicates

Calcium, as Ca

NO

19.8

19.8

ppm

none

none

Naturally occurring in the environment; dissolved minerals

Carbon Dioxide

NO

2.35

2.35

ppm

none

none

Naturally occurring in the environment

Chloride

NO

13.5

13.5

ppm

n/a

250

Naturally occurring in the environment or from runoff

Color

NO

5.0

ND-5.0

units

none

15

Naturally occurring in the environment or water treatment

Hardness, as CaCO3

NO

65.3

65.3

ppm

n/a

n/a

Naturally occurring in the environment or from runoff

 

Iron

NO

0.05

ND-0.05

ppm

none

0.30

Naturally occurring in the environment; erosion; leaching from pipes

Magnesium, as Mg

NO

3.84

3.84

ppm

none

none

Naturally occurring in the environment; dissolved minerals

Manganese, as Mn

NO

0.021

ND-0.021

ppm

none

0.05

Naturally occurring in the environment

Odor

NO

ND

ND

TON

none

3

Naturally occurring in the environment or as a result of treatment with water additives

 

pH

NO

7.13

6.80-7.20

S.U.

n/a

n/a

Naturally occurring in the environment or from runoff

Sodium

NO

3.51

3.51

ppm

n/a

n/a

Naturally occurring in the environment

Specific Conductance

NO

164

164

µS/cm

n/a

n/a

Measure of how well water can conduct an electrical current

Sulfate

NO

8.24

8.24

ppm

n/a

250

Naturally occurring in the environment or from runoff

Total Dissolved Solids

NO

ND

ND

ppm

n/a

500

Naturally occurring in the environment or from runoff

Distribution System Evaluation (DSE) Contaminants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TTHM [Total trihalomethanes]

NO

Avg. 20.1

5.1 – 56.0

ppb

0

80

By-product of drinking water chlorination

HAA5 [Total haloacetic acids]

NO

Avg. 18.0

9.2 – 36.1

ppb

0

60

By-product of drinking water chlorination

Barium

2

ppm

Heptachlor

400

 

ppt

Beryllium

4

ppb

Heptachlor epoxide

200

 

ppt

Cadmium

5

ppb

Hexachlorobenzene

1

 

ppb

Chromium

100

ppb

Hexachlorocyclopentadiene

50

 

ppb

Copper

AL=1.3

ppm

Lindane

200

 

ppt

Cyanide

200

ppb

Methoxychlor

40

 

ppb

Fluoride

4

ppm

Oxamyl [Vydate]

200

 

ppb

Lead

AL=15

ppb

Polychlorinated biphenyls

0.5

 

ppb

Mercury

2

ppb

Pentachlorophenol

1

 

ppb

Nitrate

10

ppm

Picloram

500

 

ppb

Nitrite

1

ppm

Simazine

4

 

ppb

Selenium

.05

ppm

Styrene

100

 

ppb

Thallium

.002

ppm

Tetrachloroethylene

5

 

ppb

Organic Contaminants

 

 

Toluene

1

 

ppm

2,4-D

70

ppb

Toxaphene

3

 

ppb

Acrylamide

TT

TT

2,4,5-TP(Silvex)

50

 

ppb

Alachlor

2

ppb

1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene

.07

 

ppm

Atrazine

3

ppb

1,1,1-Trichloroethane

200

 

ppb

Benzene

5

ppb

1,1,2-Trichloroethane

5

 

ppb

Benzo(a)pyrene [PAHs]

200

ppt

Trichloroethylene

5

 

ppb

Carbofuran

40

ppb

Vinyl Chloride

2

 

ppb

Carbon tetrachloride

5

ppb

Xylenes

10

 

ppm

Chlordane

2

ppb

Disinfectants & Disinfection Byproducts

 

 

Chlorobenzene

100

ppb

Chlorine

4

 

ppm

Dalapon

200

ppb

Chlorine Dioxide

800

 

ppb

Dibromochloropropane

200

ppt

Chloramines

4

 

ppm

o-Dichlorobenzene

600

ppb

Bromate

10

 

ppb

p-Dichlorobenzene

75

ppb

Chlorite

1

 

ppm

1,2-Dichloroethane

5

ppb

HAA5 [Total haloacetic acids]

60

 

ppb

1,1-Dichloroethylene

7

ppb

TTHM [Total trihalomethanes]

80

 

ppb

cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene

70

ppb

Total Organic Carbon

TT

 

ppm

 

UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS

1,1 – Dichloropropene

Aldicarb

Chloroform

Metolachlor

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane

Aldicarb Sulfone

Chlorodibromomethane

Metribuzin

1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane

Aldicarb Sulfoxide

Chloromethane

N - Butylbenzene

1,1-Dichloroethane

Aldrin

Dibromomethane

Naphthalene

1,2,3

- Trichlorobenzene

Bromobenzene

Dicamba

N-Propylbenzene

1,2,3

- Trichloropropane

Bromochloromethane

Dichlorodifluoromethane

O-Chlorotoluene

1,2,4

- Trimethylbenzene

Bromodichloromethane

Dieldrin

P-Chlorotoluene

1,3 – Dichloropropane

Bromoform

Hexachlorobutadiene

P-Isopropyltoluene

1,3 – Dichloropropene

Bromomethane

Isoprpylbenzene

Propachlor

1,3,5

- Trimethylbenzene

Butachlor

M-Dichlorobenzene

Sec - Butylbenzene

2,2 – Dichloropropane

Carbaryl

Methomyl

Tert - Butylbenzene

3-Hydroxycarbofuran

Chloroethane

MTBE

Trichlorfluoromethane

 

 

 

 

 

SECONDARY CONTAMINANTS

Alkalinity, Total (CA, Co3)

Corrosivity

Magnesium

Sodium

Aluminum

Foaming agents

Manganese

Sulfate

Calcium, as Ca

(MBAS)

Odor

Total Dissolved Solids

Chloride

Hardness

Nickel

Zinc

Color

Iron

pH

Zinc

Copper

Langelier Index

Silver

 

 

 

 

 

  • Fig. shown is 90th percentile. One site was above the Action Level 1.3 ppm. **Fig. shown is 90th percentile. One site was above the Action Level 15 ppb.

Contaminants


Decatur

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.

Utility details

  • Serves: 77100
  • Data available: 2012-2017
  • Data Source: Surface water
  • Total: 13

Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines

  • Bromodichloromethane
  • Chloroform
  • Chromium (hexavalent)
  • Dibromochloromethane
  • Nitrate
  • Nitrate and nitrite
  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

Other Detected Contaminants

  • 1%2C4-Dioxane
  • Chlorate
  • Fluoride
  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
  • Strontium
  • Vanadium

Reminder

Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.

Sources and Resources

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