States › Alabama › Etowah County

Etowah County, AL Water Quality

Water quality data for 14 public water systems serving Etowah County, Alabama — based on EPA SDWIS enforcement records, lead testing results, and health-based violation history.

📅 2026 Report 🔄 Data updated 2026 Q2 📍 14 water systems · 18 cities
✅
Generally Safe — Most Systems Performing Well

The majority of water systems have no active violations and lead levels well below the federal action level.

B

Etowah County Earns a B

Etowah County: 18 communities across 14 water systems. 100.0% have no open violations.

  • Median lead where detected: 1.25 ppb
  • 12 communities with a lead detection, 6 reporting none detected
  • 7 communities with PFAS above the federal limit
  • 2 with significant inspection deficiencies
  • 100.0% of communities have no open violations
1.25 ppb
Median Lead Level
County-wide, 90th percentile
14
Water Systems
Active CWS & NTNCWS
100%
Violation-Free
No active violations on record
How we grade counties: MyWaterIQ uses EPA SDWIS enforcement data — actual MCL violations and lead test results — not the aspirational MCLG targets used by some sites. A grade reflects real compliance history, not theoretical risk. Learn more →

Cities by Water Quality

⭐ Best Performing
  • Rainbow City
    1.20 ppb
    No federal limits exceeded on record
    A
  • Glencoe
    Not detected
    No federal limits exceeded on record
    A
  • Hokes Bluff
    Not detected
    No federal limits exceeded on record
    A
  • Sardis City
    1.10 ppb
    No federal limits exceeded on record
    A
  • Altoona
    2.20 ppb
    No federal limits exceeded on record
    B
⚠ Needs Attention
  • Gadsden
    2.50 ppb
    PFAS above the limit at 1 of 1 sampling points
    C
  • Southside
    1.30 ppb
    PFAS above the limit at 1 of 3 sampling points
    C
  • Lookout Mountain
    Not detected
    PFAS above the limit at 1 of 1 sampling points
    C
  • Tidmore Bend
    Not detected
    PFAS above the limit at 1 of 1 sampling points
    C
  • Coats Bend
    Not detected
    PFAS above the limit at 1 of 1 sampling points
    C
County Lead Level — Median 1.25 ppb
Based on most recent 90th percentile lead tests across all reporting systems
0 ppb5 ppb10 ppb15 ppb
County median: 1.25 ppb — 8.3% of the federal action level
Systems by Lead Level
Under 5 ppb
12
No Data
6

All Cities in Etowah County

Gadsden 2.50 ppb C
Rainbow City 1.20 ppb A
Southside 1.30 ppb C
Attalla 1.40 ppb A
Glencoe Not detected A
Hokes Bluff Not detected A
Sardis City 1.10 ppb A
Altoona 2.20 ppb B
Whitesboro 1.10 ppb A
Lookout Mountain Not detected C
Carlisle-Rockledge 1.10 ppb A
Walnut Grove 1.00 ppb B
Tidmore Bend Not detected C
Coats Bend Not detected C
Egypt Not detected C
Ivalee 1.40 ppb A
Reece City 1.30 ppb B
New Union 1.00 ppb B
Showing 18 cities
No active violations Active violations

About Etowah County Drinking Water

Etowah County is served by 14 water systems covering 18 communities. No community here has an open violation on record.

Of the communities reporting lead results, 12 recorded a detection, with a median of 1.25 ppb — 8% of the federal action level. 6 reported none detected, which means below the laboratory limit rather than an absence of lead.

7 of 18 communities have PFAS above the limits EPA set in 2024, measured as a running annual average at each sampling point. State inspectors recorded significant deficiencies at 2 of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Etowah County tap water safe to drink?▼
No community in Etowah County has an open violation on record. 7 of 18 have PFAS above the federal limit, which is the main open concern.
What is the lead level in Etowah County?▼
Among communities with a detection the median is 1.25 ppb, 8% of the 15 ppb action level. 6 reported none detected and 0 reported no result.
How many water systems serve Etowah County?▼
14 community water systems serve 18 communities here.
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