Pickens County Water Authority
EPA ID: GA2270002 · 7,153 people served · 4 ZIP codes
Although compliance varies widely among water utilities nationally, Pickens County Water Authority stands out with zero EPA violations over five consecutive monitoring years, delivering safe tap water to 7,153 residents and showing no enforcement activity across the entire reporting span.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Pickens County Water Authority Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary
Service Area Demographics
The Pickens County Water Authority serves a community with a median household income of $79,879 and an estimated 51,569 residents across its service area. Approximately 46% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Pickens County Water Authority'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 Cherokee 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
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 1 detection recorded.
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
Pickens County Water Authority (EPA ID: GA2270002) is a community water system in Georgia that serves approximately 7,153 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 4 ZIP codes across 4 communities.
Violation History
Lead & Copper
No Lead and Copper Rule sampling data available for this water system.
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: 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 GA 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 Pickens County Water Authority (GA2270002) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pickens County Water Authority water safe to drink?
Based on EPA records, Pickens County Water Authority has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.
How many people does Pickens County Water Authority serve?
Pickens County Water Authority serves approximately 7,153 people across 4 ZIP codes in Georgia.
Where does Pickens County Water Authority get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
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.