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City of Tallulah Water System

What EPA’s and CDC’s records show in this utility’s water: PFAS and lithium; nitrate, arsenic and other regulated chemicals; lead and copper; and violations since 2016, with the certification that handles each result.

Serves
8,601 people
Connections
2,867
Water source
Groundwater
Based in
Tallulah, LA
County
Madison Parish
Owner
Local government
The 2 ZIP codes it serves

71282, 71284

The short answer

1 result is above EPA’s legal limit, 2 more are above the health goal, and 1 more is above EPA’s health benchmark. The worst: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM), above the legal limit. 29 health-based violations since 2016.

What handles it

What was found

PFAS and lithium: EPA UCMR 5, samples taken from July 10, 2024 to Oct. 9, 2024.

Lead and copper: EPA SDWIS monitoring periods ending 2008 to 2026.

Total trihalomethanes (TTHM), arsenic, haloacetic acids (HAA5), nitrate and uranium: Louisiana’s yearly averages per water system, as CDC’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Network publishes them, 2020 to 2022, with EPA’s 2012 to 2019 file for earlier years.

Fluoride and chromium (total): EPA’s compliance monitoring file, samples taken from Feb. 25, 2013 to Oct. 4, 2019. Newer results are in the utility’s annual water quality report.

PFAS: None of the six PFAS in EPA’s 2024 drinking water rule was found in this utility’s samples. None of the other 23 PFAS tested for was found either.

EPA’s 2024 PFAS rule, compound by compound

PFASEPA’s limitResult
PFOA4.0 pptNot foundNot found in any of 2 samples, below 4 ppt
PFOS4.0 pptNot foundNot found in any of 2 samples, below 4 ppt
PFHxS10 pptNot foundNot found in any of 2 samples, below 3 ppt
PFNA10 pptNot foundNot found in any of 2 samples, below 4 ppt
HFPO-DA (GenX)10 pptNot foundNot found in any of 2 samples, below 5 ppt
PFBSIndex onlyNot foundNot found in any of 2 samples, below 3 ppt
Hazard IndexPFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA and PFBS together1Doesn’t applyDoesn’t apply: no sampling location found two or more of the four
Results from EPA’s UCMR 5 sampling. “Below” is the lab’s reporting level: a result under it reads as not found, which is not the same as zero. The limits are EPA’s 2024 rule, with compliance due from 2029; EPA has since proposed changes to some of them, explained on each compound’s page. PFBS has no limit of its own and counts only toward the Hazard Index, which adds up the four, each against EPA’s health-based level, from each sampling location’s average, as EPA’s UCMR 5 summary does. It counts only where two or more of the four were found, and is above the limit from 1.5.

Above the legal limit1

Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)

Forms or is added in treatment

Above the legal limit

56ppb

Highest yearly average, 2020 to 2022

Averaged by year, the highest was 56 ppb, in 2022, below EPA’s legal limit of 80 ppb. That was also the latest year on file. EPA judges this limit at each sampling point, and recorded a violation for total trihalomethanes (TTHM) at this utility in 2026. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 76.5 ppb, in 2014, and EPA recorded a violation in 2015.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”

Above the health goal2

Arsenic

Comes from the source

Above the health goal

3.8ppb

Highest yearly average, 2020 to 2022

2022 average: 3.3 ppb

Averaged by year, the highest was 3.8 ppb, in 2021: below EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppb, but above its health goal of zero. In 2022, the latest year on file, it averaged 3.3 ppb. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 7.6 ppb, in 2013.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction”

Lead

Comes from pipes, often your own

Above the health goal

2.0ppb

90th percentile, 2026

In the latest period, 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below 2.0 ppb, below EPA’s action level of 15 ppb. The action level drops to 10 ppb on Nov. 1, 2027. EPA’s health goal for lead is zero.

What handles it

Above EPA’s health benchmark1

Lithium

Comes from the source

Above EPA’s health benchmark

17.5ppb

Highest sample, Oct. 9, 2024; found in 2 of 2

The highest sample was 17.5 ppb, above EPA’s health reference level of 10 ppb. That is a screening level, not an enforceable limit.

What handles it

No certification claim covers this compound yet.

Below EPA’s limits4

Haloacetic acids (HAA5)

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

33.3ppb

Highest yearly average, 2020 to 2022

Averaged by year, the highest was 33.3 ppb, in 2022, below EPA’s legal limit of 60 ppb. That was also the latest year on file. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 30.8 ppb, in 2019.

What handles it

No certification claim covers this compound yet.

Fluoride

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

0.29ppm

Highest yearly average, 2013 to 2018

Averaged by year, the highest was 0.29 ppm, in 2018, below EPA’s legal limit of 4.0 ppm. Its highest single sample was 0.3 ppm. That was also the latest year on file.

What handles it

Chromium (total)

Comes from the source

Below EPA’s limits

4.5ppb

Highest yearly average, 2013 to 2019

Averaged by year, the highest was 4.5 ppb, in 2019, below EPA’s legal limit of 100 ppb. That was also the latest year on file.

What handles it

Nitrate

Comes from the source

Below EPA’s limits

0.1ppm

Highest yearly average, 2022

Averaged by year, the highest was 0.1 ppm, in 2022, below EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppm. That is the only year on file. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest sample of 1.0 ppm, in 2012.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Nitrate/Nitrite Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Nitrate/Nitrite (30 ppm challenge)”
Utilities above EPA’s PFAS limits, state by state
30 compounds tested and not foundIncluding all six PFAS in EPA’s 2024 rule. Below the reporting level in every sample. Not found is not the same as zero.

From routine monitoring

  • Uranium

PFAS and lithium, from EPA’s UCMR 5 sampling

  • 11Cl-PF3OUdS
  • 4:2 FTS
  • 6:2 FTS
  • 8:2 FTS
  • 9Cl-PF3ONS
  • ADONA
  • HFPO-DA (GenX)
  • NEtFOSAA
  • NFDHA
  • NMeFOSAA
  • PFBA
  • PFBS
  • PFDA
  • PFDoA
  • PFEESA
  • PFHpA
  • PFHpS
  • PFHxA
  • PFHxS
  • PFMBA
  • PFMPA
  • PFNA
  • PFOA
  • PFOS
  • PFPeA
  • PFPeS
  • PFTA
  • PFTrDA
  • PFUnA

What handles it

A certification covers specific claims, not a whole standard. Look for these claims on the certifier’s listing, not the box. Wording varies a little: NSF writes “Lead Reduction,” WQA just “Lead.”

  • NSF/ANSI 53

    Claims: Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction, Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction, Lead Reduction

    For: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM), Arsenic, Lead

    Other certifiers’ wording: VOC Reduction; Arsenic (III) (50 ppb influent level)

  • NSF/ANSI 58

    Claims: Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction, Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction, Lead Reduction

    For: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM), Arsenic, Lead

    Other certifiers’ wording: Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=300 ppb Reduction; Arsenic (V) (300 ppb influent level)

At the tap, or for the whole house?

Lead and copper usually come from pipes and fixtures inside or near your home. A whole-house system sits where water enters, so it cannot catch what your own plumbing adds after it. For those, the filter that counts is the one at the tap. How whole-house systems compare.

Filters with those claims on a certifier’s listing

Disclosure: TapBuff earns a commission if you buy through some links on this page. It does not change which standard or filter we name. As an Amazon Associate, TapBuff earns from qualifying purchases. How TapBuff makes money

Compare five-year costs

The best reverse osmosis systems, ranked

The best water filters for lead, ranked

Disinfectant

City of Tallulah Water System reported disinfecting with chlorine, not chloramine, at its one sampling point, in its 2024 sampling for EPA.

Chlorine leaves water that sits out for a few days, CDC says. A filter certified for it carries a chlorine claim under NSF/ANSI 42; a shower filter, a free chlorine claim under NSF/ANSI 177. This is what the utility reported for that sampling. Its annual water quality report says what it uses now.

Chlorine vs. chloramineShower filters, by what their listings cover

Violations since 2016

Contaminant or ruleTypePeriodMeasuredStatus
TTHMThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageApril 1, 2026 to June 30, 20260.11 MG/LArchived
TTHMThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageJan. 1, 2026 to March 31, 20260.083 MG/LArchived
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyFeb. 29, 2024—Unaddressed
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyFeb. 29, 2024—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyFeb. 29, 2024—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyFeb. 29, 2024—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyFeb. 29, 2024—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyFeb. 29, 2024—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyFeb. 29, 2024—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyFeb. 29, 2024—Unaddressed
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyFeb. 29, 2024—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyFeb. 29, 2024—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyAug. 31, 2022—Unaddressed
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyAug. 31, 2022—Unaddressed
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyAug. 31, 2022—Unaddressed
Revised Total Coliform RuleFixes required after coliform results were not made on time.EPA: Treatment Technique, Corrective/Expedited Actions (RTCR)Aug. 31, 2022—Unaddressed
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyAug. 31, 2022—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyAug. 31, 2022—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyAug. 31, 2022—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyAug. 31, 2022—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyAug. 31, 2022—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyAug. 31, 2022—Resolved
Revised Total Coliform RuleFixes required after coliform results were not made on time.EPA: Treatment Technique, Corrective/Expedited Actions (RTCR)Aug. 31, 2022—Unaddressed
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyAug. 31, 2022—Unaddressed
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyAug. 31, 2022—Unaddressed
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyAug. 31, 2022—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyApril 1, 2018—Resolved
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyNov. 1, 2017—Addressed
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyNov. 1, 2017—Resolved
Health-based violations only. Resolved and archived mean the utility returned to compliance or the state closed the record. 15 monitoring or reporting violations not shown.

What this report can’t tell you

  • Everything else. Total trihalomethanes (TTHM), arsenic, haloacetic acids (HAA5), nitrate and uranium results here are Louisiana’s yearly averages as CDC publishes them, from 2020 on, with EPA’s national file for 2012 to 2019. Fluoride and chromium (total) come from EPA’s file alone, which ends in 2019. City of Tallulah Water System’s own annual report, which it must send you every year, has newer results for those and the contaminants this page does not show.

  • Your own plumbing. Lead results are the 90th percentile across homes the utility samples. Your home’s service line, solder and fixtures decide yours. A certified lab test is the only way to know.

  • What it means for your health. This page reports what the records show and EPA’s limits and goals; it is not medical advice. If you are worried about a health effect, talk to a doctor or your local health department.

  • Anything after the latest data. SDWIS data is from 2026 Q3; UCMR 5 samples are from July 10, 2024 to Oct. 9, 2024; CDC’s yearly averages for Louisiana cover 2020 to 2022; EPA’s compliance samples are from Feb. 25, 2013 to Oct. 4, 2019.

Testing your own tap

City of Tallulah Water System’s results are for the water it sends out. What your own service line, solder and fixtures add shows up only in a test of your tap, by a lab Louisiana certifies.

No lab Louisiana certifies is within 75 miles of the area City of Tallulah Water System serves on the state’s list. Some take samples by mail; the state’s page lists them all.

All 48 certified labs for Louisiana

Sources

PWSID LA1065003. Rebuilt from EPA data on Oct. 18, 2026.

Towns it serves

Also in Madison Parish

All Louisiana utilities

What to do next