Dekalb County
EPA ID: GA0890001 · 743,000 people served · 53 ZIP codes
While corrective steps may be in progress, Dekalb County currently shows 3 EPA violations unresolved — serving a population of approximately 743,000.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Dekalb County Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Dekalb County serves a community with a median household income of $77,339 and an estimated 1,445,442 residents across its service area. Approximately 52% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 38% 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?
Dekalb County'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 DeKalb County, Georgia 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 Dekalb County compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Surface Water Treatment 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. 89 detections recorded. 6 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 6 exceed state limits.
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Georgia
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
DEKALB COUNTY (EPA ID: GA0890001) is a community water system in Georgia that serves approximately 743,000 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 53 ZIP codes across 19 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (67/100)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| August 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment 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 | 3 | No |
| Surface Water Treatment 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30030 | 0.0055 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30031 | 0.0055 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30032 | 0.0055 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30033 | 0.0055 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30034 | 0.0055 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30035 | 0.0055 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30036 | 0.0055 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30037 | 0.0055 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30073 | 0.0055 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30322 | 0.0014 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30329 | 0.0014 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30341 | 0.0014 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30345 | 0.0014 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 30346 | 0.0014 mg/L | No | N/A |
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: 48 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 5 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.
This system serves 53 ZIP codes:
30002 · 30012 · 30021 · 30030 · 30031 30032 · 30033 · 30034 · 30035 · 30036 30037 · 30038 · 30039 · 30047 · 30058 30072 · 30073 · 30074 · 30079 · 30083 30084 · 30087 · 30088 · 30092 · 30093 30094 · 30273 · 30281 · 30288 · 30294 30297 · 30303 · 30306 · 30307 · 30308 30309 · 30312 · 30313 · 30315 · 30316 30317 · 30319 · 30322 · 30324 · 30329 30334 · 30338 · 30340 · 30341 · 30345 30346 · 30350 · 30360
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Dekalb County (GA0890001) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dekalb County water safe to drink?
Dekalb County has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.
How many people does Dekalb County serve?
Dekalb County serves approximately 743,000 people across 53 ZIP codes in Georgia.
Where does Dekalb County 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 DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management 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: DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
DeKalb County and the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) have completed a source water assessment identifying potential sources of pollution to the Chattahoochee River.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.
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:
This system reports zero confirmed lead service lines in its inventory. Unknown-material counts may still warrant verification.
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.
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.
- #18 / 50 Highest Exposure Burden (Georgia)
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
Dekalb County (EPA ID: GA0890001) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.