Bardstown Municipal Water Department
EPA ID: KY0900017 · 31,185 people served · 10 ZIP codes
Bardstown Municipal Water Department recorded 1 EPA violation over the past five years, all of which have since been resolved — the utility is currently in compliance serving 31,185 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 2 (2021) to 1 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Bardstown Municipal Water Department Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade D
Service Area Demographics
The Bardstown Municipal Water Department serves a community with a median household income of $66,438 and an estimated 112,007 residents across its service area. Approximately 48% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Bardstown Municipal Water Department'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 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
Detected Contaminants
How Bardstown Municipal Water Department compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Stage 1 DBP 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. 18 detections recorded. 5 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 5 exceed state limits.
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
Bardstown Municipal Water Department (EPA ID: KY0900017) is a community water system in Kentucky that serves approximately 31,185 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 10 ZIP codes across 10 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: D (50/100)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2024 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40004 | 0.003 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 FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 9 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 1 additional ZIP inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
- 40004 — Bardstown
- 40008 — Bloomfield
- 40013 — Coxs Creek
- 40037 — Loretto
- 40048 — Nazareth
- 40051 — New Haven
- 40052 — New Hope
- 40069 — Springfield
- 40107 — Boston
- 42701 — Elizabethtown
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Bardstown Municipal Water Department (KY0900017) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bardstown Municipal Water Department water safe to drink?
Bardstown Municipal Water Department has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.
How many people does Bardstown Municipal Water Department serve?
Bardstown Municipal Water Department serves approximately 31,185 people across 10 ZIP codes in Kentucky.
Where does Bardstown Municipal Water Department 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: Bardstown Municipal Water Department Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
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.
Notable events and violations
This section summarizes events the utility chose to disclose in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report, plus any federal compliance violations the utility recorded against itself. Both lists are utility-authored — ZipCheckup does not audit, judge, or reorder them.
Federal compliance violations on record
These entries are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR violations section. EPA defines four broad violation categories: Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), Treatment Technique (TT), Monitoring & Reporting (M&R), and Public Notification (PN).
-
monitoring · Lead and Copper Rule2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31
We failed to test our drinking water for the contaminant and period indicated. Because of this failure, we cannot be sure of the quality of our drinking water during the period indicated.
Violations record from Bardstown Municipal Water Department Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup note: items above reflect what the utility published in its most recent CCR. Federal violation records are also tracked separately by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) — the SDWIS record is the authoritative federal source for any specific regulatory action.
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.
- #37 / 50 Highest Exposure Burden (Kentucky)
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
Bardstown Municipal Water Department (EPA ID: KY0900017) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.