PFAS above EPA’s limits in Alabama.
56 utilities of the 303 EPA tested in Alabama had a sampling location whose PFAS average was above a 2024 limit in its final UCMR 5 data, by EPA’s own method.
The short answer
56 utilities serving 1.4 million people, as they report it, had a location averaging above a limit, most often PFOS (47) and PFOA (45). The largest is Huntsville Utilities Water Dept., whose highest PFOS average was 7.7 ppt, 1.9 times the limit. The furthest above is Irondale Water System, at 9.4 times the PFOS limit.
These are EPA’s survey results, not violations: the limits take effect April 26, 2029, and compliance will rest on each utility’s own monitoring. EPA has proposed changes to the rule; as of Oct. 13, 2026, none is final.
Utilities above a limit
Largest first. Each one’s highest location average is for the limit it is furthest above, with the single highest sample of the same PFAS; its report has every result.
| Utility | Based in | Serves | Above | Highest location average | Highest single sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville Utilities Water Dept. | Huntsville | 310,107 | PFOS | PFOS 7.7 ppt1.9 times the limit | 9.0 ppt |
| City of Florence Water Department | Florence | 77,766 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 13 ppt3.3 times the limit | 17 ppt |
| City of Auburn, the Ww Board of the | Auburn | 74,292 | PFOA | PFOA 12 ppt2.9 times the limit | 12 ppt |
| City of Fairhope | Fairhope | 59,850 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 14 ppt3.5 times the limit | 15 ppt |
| City of Opelika, Ww Bd. of the | Opelika | 56,520 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 7.7 ppt1.9 times the limit | 11 ppt |
| Harvest - Monrovia W,S, and Fp, Inc. | Harvest | 51,915 | PFOA | PFOA 4.3 ppt1.08 times the limit | 4.8 ppt |
| Northeast Alabama Water Sewer and Fpd | Fort Payne | 47,070 | PFOA | PFOA 6.0 ppt1.5 times the limit | 12 ppt |
| City of Prattville, the Ww Board of the | Prattville | 46,614 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 9.1 ppt2.3 times the limit | 23 ppt |
| City of Gadsden, the Wwsb of the | Gadsden | 44,637 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 23 ppt5.9 times the limit | 32 ppt |
| City of Alabaster Water Department | Alabaster | 40,986 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 12 ppt3 times the limit | 21 ppt |
| Shelby County Commission - Water Services | Columbiana | 40,101 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 23 ppt5.8 times the limit | 26 ppt |
| City of Pelham | Pelham | 38,703 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 6.0 ppt1.5 times the limit | 12 ppt |
| Smiths Water & Sewer Authority | Smiths | 33,555 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 5.7 ppt1.4 times the limit | 6.3 ppt |
| Oxford Water Works & Sewer Board | Oxford | 31,239 | PFOS | PFOS 6.1 ppt1.5 times the limit | 6.1 ppt |
| City of Albertville, Municipal Ub of the | Albertville | 29,367 | PFOA | PFOA 6.1 ppt1.5 times the limit | 11 ppt |
| North Baldwin Utilities | Bay Minette | 28,713 | PFOS | PFOS 11 ppt2.6 times the limit | 11 ppt |
| Muscle Shoals Utility Board | Muscle Shoals | 22,467 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 14 ppt3.5 times the limit | 17 ppt |
| City of Talladega Water & Sewer Dept | Talladega | 20,250 | PFOS | PFOS 5.4 ppt1.4 times the limit | 5.9 ppt |
| City of Pell City | Pell City | 17,586 | PFOA | PFOA 6.8 ppt1.7 times the limit | 15 ppt |
| Tuscumbia Water Works | Tuscumbia | 16,539 | PFOS | PFOS 6.1 ppt1.5 times the limit | 6.3 ppt |
| West Lauderdale Co, Water & Fpa | Florence | 15,681 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 7.8 ppt1.9 times the limit | 17 ppt |
| Boaz Water & Sewer Board | Boaz | 15,138 | PFOA | PFOA 6.3 ppt1.6 times the limit | 10 ppt |
| Loachapoka Water Authority | Loachapoka | 14,964 | PFOA | PFOA 15 ppt3.8 times the limit | 16 ppt |
| Sheffield Utilities, City of Sheffield | Sheffield | 13,758 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 15 ppt3.7 times the limit | 20 ppt |
| City of Clanton, the Ww & Sb of the | Clanton | 13,500 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 22 ppt5.4 times the limit | 28 ppt |
| Colbert County Rural Water System | Tuscumbia | 13,449 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 18 ppt4.6 times the limit | 30 ppt |
| Holtville Water System | Deatsville | 12,600 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 15 ppt3.8 times the limit | 18 ppt |
| Southside Water Works and Sewer Board | Southside | 12,327 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 9.3 ppt2.3 times the limit | 14 ppt |
| Tri Community Water System | Millbrook | 11,832 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 17 ppt4.1 times the limit | 19 ppt |
| Jackson Water Works & Sewer Board | Jackson | 11,715 | PFOS | PFOS 5.3 ppt1.3 times the limit | 6.2 ppt |
| Grand Bay Water Works Board | Grand Bay | 11,100 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 31 ppt7.7 times the limit | 31 ppt |
| Montevallo Water Works & Sewer Board | Montevallo | 10,746 | PFOS | PFOS 14 ppt3.5 times the limit | 17 ppt |
| Beulah Utilities District | Valley | 10,389 | PFOA | PFOA 6.4 ppt1.6 times the limit | 8.8 ppt |
| City of Wetumpka, the Ww & Sb of the | Wetumpka | 10,137 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 17 ppt4.3 times the limit | 29 ppt |
| Irondale Water System | Irondale | 10,098 | PFOS | PFOS 38 ppt9.4 times the limit | 59 ppt |
| Childersburg Water & Sewer Board | Childersburg | 9,777 | PFOS | PFOS 14 ppt3.5 times the limit | 15 ppt |
| Marbury Water System, Inc. | Marbury | 8,670 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 16 ppt4 times the limit | 20 ppt |
| Greenhill Water & Fire Pro Authority | Florence | 8,505 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 15 ppt3.8 times the limit | 22 ppt |
| City of Weaver | Weaver | 7,050 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 15 ppt3.6 times the limit | 15 ppt |
| West Etowah Water & Fire Pro Authority | Attalla | 6,900 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 5.3 ppt1.3 times the limit | 21 ppt |
| Thomasville Water Works & Sewer Board | Thomasville | 6,897 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 12 ppt3.1 times the limit | 14 ppt |
| Wilcox County Water and Sewer District | Camden | 6,144 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 12 ppt3 times the limit | 16 ppt |
| Rogersville Water Works & Sewer Board | Rogersville | 5,817 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 12 ppt2.9 times the limit | 12 ppt |
| Spring Valley Water Authority | Tuscumbia | 5,520 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 14 ppt3.5 times the limit | 19 ppt |
| Millbrook Utilities | Millbrook | 5,451 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 15 ppt3.7 times the limit | 18 ppt |
| Grove Hill Water Works | Grove Hill | 5,280 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 17 ppt4.3 times the limit | 19 ppt |
| South Marengo Co Water & Fire Pro Auth | Linden | 4,416 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 11 ppt2.7 times the limit | 15 ppt |
| Northeast Etowah County Water Co - Op | Gadsden | 4,380 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 13 ppt3.2 times the limit | 27 ppt |
| Town of Stevenson, Util. Board of the | Stevenson | 4,101 | PFOS | PFOS 5.5 ppt1.4 times the limit | 5.6 ppt |
| Hawk Pride MT Water System | Tuscumbia | 4,035 | PFOS | PFOS 7.1 ppt1.8 times the limit | 9.2 ppt |
| Highland Water Authority | Gadsden | 4,014 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 15 ppt3.7 times the limit | 27 ppt |
| Collinsville Water Works | Collinsville | 3,948 | PFOA | PFOA 16 ppt4 times the limit | 53 ppt |
| Ardmore Water System | Ardmore | 3,903 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 11 ppt2.8 times the limit | 13 ppt |
| Littleville Water Works | Russellville | 3,576 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 14 ppt3.5 times the limit | 17 ppt |
| Sterrett - Vandiver Water System, Inc. | Sterrett | 3,252 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 19 ppt4.8 times the limit | 31 ppt |
| Pine Hill,town of | Pine Hill | 2,361 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 11 ppt2.7 times the limit | 14 ppt |
21 more utilities in Alabama had a single sample above a limit but no location average above, so they are not listed; each report shows the sample.
Results: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data, file of Oct. 15, 2026, samples from Jan. 3, 2023 to June 17, 2026, averaged by sampling location as EPA’s final UCMR 5 data summary does. Every state, and the full data as a CSV; how this list is made. People served is what each utility reports.
Where to go next
- Huntsville Utilities Water Dept.’s reportEvery PFAS result with its dates, and the certification claim that handles each.Open the report
- Every stateThe national list, the largest utilities above a limit, and the data to download.PFAS above EPA’s limits
- Filters certified for PFASRanked by certification and what they cost over five years.Best water filters for PFAS