Water System Report AL

Bear Creek Water Works

EPA ID: AL0000920 ยท 3,222 people served ยท 4 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Bear Creek Water Works (AL0000920): no drinking-water violations recorded since 2021. EPA monitoring records reviewed for Bear Creek Water Works list no violations. That describes the federal file only, not a test of the water at any tap, for a utility that reports serving approximately 3,222 people.

Data: EPA SDWIS

3,222
People Served
4
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (since 2021)
Surface Water
Water Source
Below the reporting limit
Most recent lead 90th percentile on record (monitoring period ending 2023-12-31)
Zone 2
County Radon Potential ยท Moderate
0
Contaminants Flagged
$99K
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Bear Creek Water Works Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$45,644
Median Household Income
20,472
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
94%
Disadvantaged Population
80th
Poverty Percentile
85th
Energy Burden Percentile
51%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with Bear Creek Water Works have a median household income of $45,644 and about 20,472 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 51% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: On average, 94% of census tracts in the counties mapped to this service area are designated disadvantaged by the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST, 2022 version). Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Bear Creek Water Works's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
38th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
10th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

42 yr
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
Copper
Likely pipe material (modeled)
28 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 60% of expected lifespan used (estimate) End of life

PFAS in ZIP Codes This System Serves

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been reported in samples from water systems associated with the ZIP codes in this system's area. These results can come from other water systems serving the same ZIP codes; check the UCMR5 section for any results reported for this system. 1 detection recorded.

Health concern: Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with some cancers and with immune and developmental effects; effects differ by compound. Many PFAS break down very slowly in the environment.
Recommended filter: An activated carbon filter certified under NSF/ANSI 53 or a reverse osmosis system certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for the PFAS listed in its certification. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Alabama

1 violation
0 violations
C 0 violations
6 violations
Nectar, Town of
3,288 people
0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Water Filtration PFAS Treatment
Water Filtration $450
PFAS Treatment $125
Total Estimated Cost $575

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

Illustrative per-household cost scenario based on stated assumptions:

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $575 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These estimates are for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Bear Creek Water Works (EPA ID: AL0000920) is a community water system in Alabama that serves approximately 3,222 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 4 ZIP codes across 4 communities.

Violation History

No accepted violation records in the 2021-2026 window - The accepted EPA ECHO 2026Q2 snapshot contains zero violation records for this system whose record year falls from 2021 through 2026, inclusive. This is not a tap-water safety guarantee.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
Below the reporting limit No 2023-12-31

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

1 of 4 ZIP records with known zones is in EPA Radon Zone 1. 3 of 4 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 2.

The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by AL or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for Bear Creek Water Works (AL0000920) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bear Creek Water Works water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Bear Creek Water Works in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.

How many people does Bear Creek Water Works serve?

Bear Creek Water Works serves approximately 3,222 people across 4 ZIP codes in Alabama.

Where does Bear Creek Water Works get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use a water filter? ▼
No EPA drinking-water violations since 2021 are on record for Bear Creek Water Works; this page does not establish contaminant levels at your tap. That is a compliance record, not a guarantee about the water at your tap; a certified filter can target a specific contaminant you are concerned about.
How many people does Bear Creek Water Works serve? ▼
Bear Creek Water Works serves approximately 3,222 people with drinking water across 4 ZIP codes.
What is Bear Creek Water Works's water source? ▼
Bear Creek Water Works draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Bear Creek Water Works's water? ▼
The reported 90th-percentile lead result is below the laboratory reporting limit, not a measured zero; EPA's health goal for lead is zero. This is at or below the EPA lead action level, which triggers system action and is not a safe level; the EPA health goal for lead is zero.
What is the demographic profile of the ZIP codes associated with Bear Creek Water Works? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to Bear Creek Water Works have a median household income of $45,644 (Census ZIP-code estimate). In CEJST data, 94% of census tracts in the counties mapped to this area are designated disadvantaged (average across mapped ZIP codes), which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Bear Creek Water Works get its water? ▼
Bear Creek Water Works's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap. Based on the available data, the modeled source-contamination category is moderate; test local water to assess actual exposure.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Bear Creek Water Works Water Quality Report, AL. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/al0000920/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-al0000920,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Bear Creek Water Works Water Quality Report, AL}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/al0000920/}
}
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