Water System Report AL

St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority

EPA ID: AL0001031 ยท 10,284 people served ยท 6 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority (AL0001031): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Across every monitored period in the past five years, St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority reported no EPA violations for its service population of 10,284.

Data: EPA SDWIS

A ยท 99
Avg Safety Score
10,284
People Served
6
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.0012 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 3
Radon Risk ยท Low
0
Contaminants Flagged
$164K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade A

Service Area Demographics

$57,988
Median Household Income
55,083
Service Area Population
62%
Disadvantaged Population
60th
Poverty Percentile
70th
Energy Burden Percentile
51%
Pre-1986 Housing

The St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority serves a community with a median household income of $57,988 and an estimated 55,083 residents across its service area. Approximately 51% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 62% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
30th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
30th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

39 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
32 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 55% of expected lifespan used End of life

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 7 detections recorded. 2 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 2 exceed state limits.

State limits: PFOA: 0.004 ppt, PFOS: 0.004 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Alabama

0 violations
0 violations
Opp Utilities Board
10,266 people
2 violations
10 violations
37 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment
Flood Insurance $1,300
PFAS Treatment $350
Total Estimated Cost $1,650

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

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

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 $1,650 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority (EPA ID: AL0001031) is a community water system in Alabama that serves approximately 10,284 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 6 ZIP codes across 6 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: A (99/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 2 of 6 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

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
0.0012 mg/L No N/A

The accepted LCR snapshot contains 1 reported copper action-level exceedance record for this PWSID. The source does not provide a verified copper level for publication.

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 3 (Low Risk)

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking โ€” this helps flush lead from your pipes.

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 the full compliance record for St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority (AL0001031) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority 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 St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority serve?

St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority serves approximately 10,284 people across 6 ZIP codes in Alabama.

Where does St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.

Samples collected
232
Detections
1
Latest sample
10/28/2024
Highest analyte
6:2 FTS: 7.4 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
6:2 FTS 7.4 ppt โ€” โ€”

Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority safe to drink?
St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority earns a A safety grade with 0 violations in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
Should I use a water filter?
St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority serve?
St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority serves approximately 10,284 people with drinking water across 6 ZIP codes.
What is St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority's water source?
St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.0012 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority's service area?
The St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority service area has a median household income of $57,988. EPA EJScreen data classifies 62% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority get its water?
St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority, AL: Serves 10K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/al0001031/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-al0001031,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority, AL: Serves 10K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/al0001031/}
}
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