Water System Report KY

Paducah Water Works

EPA ID: KY0730533 ยท 65,004 people served ยท 10 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Paducah Water Works (KY0730533): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Water monitoring for Paducah Water Works: clean, five years, 65,004 residents.

Data: EPA SDWIS

B ยท 83
Avg Safety Score
65,004
People Served
10
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
Zone 3
Radon Risk ยท Low
0
Contaminants Flagged
$168K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Paducah Water Works Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade B

Service Area Demographics

$69,460
Median Household Income
101,420
Service Area Population
39%
Disadvantaged Population
62th
Poverty Percentile
71th
Energy Burden Percentile
54%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Paducah Water Works serves a community with a median household income of $69,460 and an estimated 101,420 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: 39% 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.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Paducah 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.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
51th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
41th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

46 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
24 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 66% of expected lifespan used End of life

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 35 detections recorded. 14 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 14 exceed state limits.

State limits: PFOA: 0.004 ppt, PFOS: 0.004 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Kentucky

B 0 violations
C 0 violations
B 1 violation
C 0 violations
Frankfort Plant Board
52,153 people
0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment
Flood Insurance $1,510
PFAS Treatment $420
Total Estimated Cost $1,930

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.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $1,930 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Paducah Water Works (EPA ID: KY0730533) is a community water system in Kentucky that serves approximately 65,004 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 10 ZIP codes across 9 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (83/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 3 of 10 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No accepted violation records in the 2021-2026 window - The accepted EPA ECHO 2026Q2 snapshot contains zero violation records for this system whose record year falls from 2021 through 2026, inclusive. This is not a tap-water safety guarantee.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0 mg/L No N/A

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 3 (Low Risk)

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking โ€” 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 KY 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 Paducah Water Works (KY0730533) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paducah Water Works water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Paducah Water Works in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.

How many people does Paducah Water Works serve?

Paducah Water Works serves approximately 65,004 people across 10 ZIP codes in Kentucky.

Where does Paducah Water Works get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

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.

Samples collected
116
Detections
10
Latest sample
11/11/2024
Highest analyte
PFOS: 8.1 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFOS 8.1 ppt 10 ppt Above 2029 federal MCL
PFBA 7.3 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFOA 5.8 ppt 10 ppt Above 2029 federal MCL
PFPeA 4.6 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFBS 3.3 ppt โ€” โ€”

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) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

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

Is water from Paducah Water Works safe to drink?
Paducah Water Works earns a B safety grade with 0 violations in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
Should I use a water filter?
Paducah Water Works meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Paducah Water Works serve?
Paducah Water Works serves approximately 65,004 people with drinking water across 10 ZIP codes.
What is Paducah Water Works's water source?
Paducah Water Works draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of Paducah Water Works's service area?
The Paducah Water Works service area has a median household income of $69,460. EPA EJScreen data classifies 39% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Paducah Water Works get its water?
Paducah 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. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Paducah Water Works, KY: Serves 65K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ky0730533/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ky0730533,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Paducah Water Works, KY: Serves 65K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ky0730533/}
}
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