City of Bartow
EPA ID: FL6530315 · 21,501 people served · 9 ZIP codes
Pulled from the federal compliance ledger, 13 violations at City of Bartow remain without resolution — the utility delivers drinking water to roughly 21,501 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 6 (2021) to 8 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for City of Bartow Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The City of Bartow serves a community with a median household income of $62,708 and an estimated 188,297 residents across its service area. Approximately 54% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 55% 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?
City of Bartow'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.
About 1% of homes in Polk County, Florida 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 City of Bartow compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 16 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Total Coliform at 13 presence exceeds the EPA maximum of presence.
Stage 2 DBP Rule at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
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. 15 detections recorded. 4 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 4 exceed state limits.
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Florida
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
City of Bartow, (EPA ID: FL6530315) is a community water system in Florida that serves approximately 21,501 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 9 ZIP codes across 7 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (69/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 1, 2025 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Health-based | Unresolved |
| February 1, 2025 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| December 1, 2024 | Total Coliform | Monitoring | Resolved |
| December 1, 2024 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Total Coliform | Monitoring | Resolved |
| June 1, 2024 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| June 1, 2024 | Total Coliform | Monitoring | Resolved |
| May 1, 2024 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| May 1, 2024 | Total Coliform | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2024 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2024 | Total Coliform | Monitoring | Resolved |
| November 1, 2023 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 16 | No |
| Total Coliform | Microbiological | 13 | No |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | Yes |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 2 (Moderate 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: 7 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 2 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.
- 33813 — Lakeland
- 33830 — Bartow
- 33831 — Bartow
- 33839 — Eagle Lake
- 33841 — Fort Meade
- 33847 — Homeland
- 33860 — Mulberry
- 33880 — Winter Haven
- 33884 — Winter Haven
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for City of Bartow (FL6530315) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Bartow water safe to drink?
City of Bartow has recorded 1 health-based violation in the past 5 years. While the system is required to treat water to meet federal standards, you may want to consider additional precautions such as a certified water filter.
How many people does City of Bartow serve?
City of Bartow serves approximately 21,501 people across 9 ZIP codes in Florida.
Where does City of Bartow get its water?
The primary water source is groundwater.
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 City of Bartow 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: City of Bartow Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
A Source Water Assessment was completed in 2024 by Florida's DEP. The four wells at the main water plant were determined not susceptible to outside contamination. The other remaining well was determined susceptible from nearby diesel storage tank with a moderate risk concern level.
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 City of Bartow 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: FDEP PWS Lead Service Line Inventories (LSLI) · Submitted 2024
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.
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
City of Bartow (EPA ID: FL6530315) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.