Washington County Water Authority, AL
Lead detected, under the action levels
Latest 90th-percentile lead: 1.5 ppb (monitoring period 2021-2023). The federal action level is 15 ppb today and drops to 10 ppb in Nov 2027; EPA's health goal is 0. Lead was measured in sampled homes but the 90th percentile is under both action levels. EPA's health goal for lead is zero, so test your own tap if your home was built before 1986 or anyone in it is pregnant or a young child.
About Washington County Water Authority
Washington County Water Authority serves about 2,445 people through 815 service connections, which makes it a small system under EPA's size classes. It is owned by a local government (city, town, county or district) and draws groundwater, in Washington County, Alabama. EPA system ID: AL0001784; phone on file: 251-847-6654. They can tell you what your service line is made of and whether they pay to replace it.
Lead results over time
That is up 1.5 ppb from 0 ppb in the period ending 2020. The highest 90th-percentile result EPA holds for Washington County Water Authority is 5 ppb across 3 monitoring periods, none of them over 15 ppb.
| Period ending | 90th-percentile lead |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.5 ppb |
| 2020 | 0 (not detected) |
| 2017 | 5 ppb |
How Washington County Water Authority compares
Of the 542 Alabama systems with a lead result, the median latest reading is 0 ppb; 1 are over 15 ppb right now and 11 have gone over at some point. Washington County Water Authority's 1.5 ppb sits at the 78th percentile in Alabama and the 64th nationally (higher means more lead).
Nearby utilities
10 other systems share Washington County; 2 of them have a higher latest lead result than Washington County Water Authority. If you are unsure which one supplies your house, the name on your water bill decides it.
| System | People | Latest lead |
|---|---|---|
| Mcintosh Water & Fire Pro Authority | 3,060 | 0 (not detected) |
| Millry, The Ub Of The Town Of | 2,217 | 2.7 ppb |
| Chatom, The Utilities Board Of The Town | 2,037 | 0 (not detected) |
| Fruitdale Water System | 1,809 | 1.6 ppb |
| Leroy Water Authority | 1,710 | 0 (not detected) |
| Tibbie Water & Fire Protection Authority | 1,539 | 1.5 ppb |
| Deer Park-Vinegar Bend Water & Fpa | 1,467 | 1.1 ppb |
| Frankville Water & Fire Pro Authority | 945 | 0 (not detected) |
| St Stephens Water System | 735 | 0 (not detected) |
| Hobson Water System | 663 | 0 (not detected) |
Your move
Test your own tap with a certified lab first-draw sample; Chatom, AL may offer free or low-cost kits through the utility. If your own line is lead, replacing the private side runs about $1,200-$12,300 (EPA average about $4,700). Ask Washington County Water Authority whether it covers that cost before hiring anyone - many utilities now do.
These figures describe homes the utility sampled, not your tap. Only your service line record or a test of your own water answers the question for your house. Why sampled homes are the worst-case ones is in the guide to reading the number. Size matters more than most people expect: small vs large water systems.