Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of
EPA ID: AL0001084 · 77,103 people served · 9 ZIP codes
Not yet resolved: 1 EPA violation at Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of, affecting about 77,103 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of serves a community with a median household income of $72,526 and an estimated 111,561 residents across its service area. Approximately 49% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 40% 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.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of'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.
About 1% of homes in Morgan County, Alabama rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Lead at 1 mg/L (action level) exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.015 mg/L (action level). Brain damage in children, kidney & blood pressure in adults. Consider reverse osmosis filtration.
Stage 1 DBP Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 17 detections recorded. 2 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 2 exceed state limits.
Lead was detected in this water system. reverse osmosis filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →Comparable Water Systems
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Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
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.
System Overview
Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of (EPA ID: AL0001084) is a community water system in Alabama that serves approximately 77,103 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 9 ZIP codes across 5 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (63/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | Inorganic | 1 | No |
| Chlorite | Disinfection Byproducts | 1 | No |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35601 | 0.00276 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 35602 | 0.00276 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 35603 | 0.00276 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 35609 | 0.00276 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 35699 | 0.00276 mg/L | No | N/A |
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 6 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 3 additional ZIPs inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
- 35601 — Decatur
- 35602 — Decatur
- 35603 — Decatur
- 35609 — Decatur
- 35640 — Hartselle
- 35670 — Somerville
- 35671 — Tanner
- 35673 — Trinity
- 35699 — Decatur
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of (AL0001084) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of water safe to drink?
Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.
How many people does Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of serve?
Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of serves approximately 77,103 people across 9 ZIP codes in Alabama.
Where does Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from Decatur Utilities Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: Decatur Utilities Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
The SWAP report assessed the susceptibility of our untreated water sources to potential contamination. Our water system was rated as having a moderate risk from contamination. The SWAP was last updated in 2021 and is available for review at the DU Main Office during normal business hours or by appointment.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Decatur Utilities Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.
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.
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) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.
Aesthetic water quality
These measurements describe the look, taste, and feel of the water this utility delivers. They are not contaminant violations — they sit alongside federal Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs) which the EPA publishes as non-enforceable guidance.
Aesthetic measurements from Decatur Utilities Consumer Confidence Report.
Aesthetic measurements are reported by the utility from its annual sampling. EPA Secondary MCLs are advisory thresholds — values outside them indicate aesthetic concerns such as taste or appearance, not health violations. Federal contaminant testing is shown in the sections above.
How Water Systems Appear in Rankings
Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
Decatur, Municipal Utilities Board of (EPA ID: AL0001084) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.