Health Violations Found KY 1 HEALTH VIOLATION

Marion County Water District

EPA ID: KY0780268 · 16,311 people served · 14 ZIP codes

Over the past five years, Marion County Water District recorded 1 violation, all subsequently resolved through the EPA enforcement process — the supplier currently operates in good standing, with no active actions on file for its 16,311 residents.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

D · 46
Avg Safety Score
16,311
People Served
14
ZIP Codes Served
1
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.002 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 1
Radon Risk · High
1
Contaminants Flagged
$164K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Compliance Trajectory

Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months

Violations went from 4 (2021) to 1 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Marion County Water District Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary — Grade D

Service Area Demographics

$60,764
Median Household Income
92,819
Service Area Population
31%
Disadvantaged Population
61th
Poverty Percentile
59th
Energy Burden Percentile
51%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Marion County Water District serves a community with a median household income of $60,764 and an estimated 92,819 residents across its service area. Approximately 51% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 31% 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?

Surface Water

Marion County Water District'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.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
43th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
16th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 1% of homes in Nelson 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

43 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
27 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 61% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Marion County Water District compares to EPA limits

What This Means For You

Consumer Confidence Report 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. 12 detections recorded. 2 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 2 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 →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Kentucky

A 1 violation
C 0 violations
Barbourville Utilities
16,420 people
C 4 violations
C 1 violation
C 4 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Radon Mitigation Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
Radon Mitigation $1,029
Flood Insurance $857
PFAS Treatment $121
Water Filtration $64
Total Estimated Cost $2,071

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:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

PFAS Exposure — Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$2,665
10 years
$5,330
20 years
$10,660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,071 (one-time) vs. $5,330 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

MARION COUNTY WATER DISTRICT (EPA ID: KY0780268) is a community water system in Kentucky that serves approximately 16,311 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 14 ZIP codes across 14 communities.

Average Home Safety Score: D (46/100)

Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.

Violation History

1 health-based violation recorded in the past 5 years. All violations have been 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 1 Yes

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:

ZIP Code Lead Level Exceeds Limit Sample Date
40033 0.002 mg/L No N/A

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High 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 Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: 12 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.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Marion County Water District (KY0780268) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Marion County Water District water safe to drink?

Marion County Water District 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 Marion County Water District serve?

Marion County Water District serves approximately 16,311 people across 14 ZIP codes in Kentucky.

Where does Marion County Water District 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
Purchased from another utility
Treated water purchased wholesale from another water system.
Disinfectant used
Chlorine
Treatment chemicals reported
chlorine

Source: Marion County Water District 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 classification
Standard
Disinfection plus one or more treatment additives — typically corrosion control, pH adjustment, or fluoridation. Standard regime for utilities serving treated municipal water.

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.

Disinfectant
Inactivates bacteria, viruses, and parasites in the treated water.
chlorine

Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Marion County Water District 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.

Samples collected
232

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 →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

Lead Service Line Inventory

Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:

0
Confirmed Lead
0
Galvanized — Replacement Required
0
Unknown Material
7,404
Confirmed Non-Lead

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.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Reported all required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2021-01-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Population served: 16,311
Reported to Kentucky

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.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Marion County Water District safe to drink?
Marion County Water District has a D safety grade based on 1 recorded violation. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits — independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in Marion County Water District's water?
Detected contaminants include Consumer Confidence Report Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 1 contaminant above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does Marion County Water District serve?
Marion County Water District serves approximately 16,311 people with drinking water across 14 ZIP codes.
What is Marion County Water District's water source?
Marion County Water District draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Marion County Water District's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.002 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Marion County Water District's service area?
The Marion County Water District service area has a median household income of $60,764. EPA EJScreen data classifies 31% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Marion County Water District get its water?
Marion County Water District'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 violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is currently elevated.

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →

3

Contact your utility

Marion County Water District (EPA ID: KY0780268) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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