Harlan Municipal Water Works
EPA ID: KY0480178 · 4,574 people served · 11 ZIP codes
Water monitoring history at Harlan Municipal Water Works shows a clean slate — EPA tracking over the past five years turned up no violations, and 4,574 residents continue to receive fully compliant service.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Stable · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 1 (2023) to 3 (2025). Violation counts have remained relatively steady.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Harlan Municipal Water Works Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Harlan Municipal Water Works serves a community with a median household income of $33,077 and an estimated 12,582 residents across its service area. Approximately 68% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 100% 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?
Harlan Municipal Water Works'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 2% of homes in Harlan County, Kentucky rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Infrastructure Risk
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Kentucky
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
HARLAN MUNICIPAL WATER WORKS (EPA ID: KY0480178) is a community water system in Kentucky that serves approximately 4,574 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 11 ZIP codes across 11 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (62/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Lead & Copper
No Lead and Copper Rule sampling data available for this water 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: 5 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 6 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.
- 40806 — Baxter
- 40819 — Coldiron
- 40829 — Grays Knob
- 40830 — Gulston
- 40831 — Harlan
- 40845 — Hulen
- 40854 — Loyall
- 40863 — Pathfork
- 40873 — Wallins Creek
- 40964 — Mary Alice
- 40988 — Stoney Fork
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Harlan Municipal Water Works (KY0480178) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Harlan Municipal Water Works water safe to drink?
Based on EPA records, Harlan Municipal Water Works has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.
How many people does Harlan Municipal Water Works serve?
Harlan Municipal Water Works serves approximately 4,574 people across 11 ZIP codes in Kentucky.
Where does Harlan Municipal Water Works get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: Harlan Municipal Water Works Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
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.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Harlan Municipal Water Works 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: 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:
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.
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
Harlan Municipal Water Works (EPA ID: KY0480178) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.