Water System Report KY

Bowling Green Municipal Utilities

EPA ID: KY1140038 · 53,601 people served · 4 ZIP codes

Throughout five consecutive years of federal water monitoring, Bowling Green Municipal Utilities recorded zero violations — solid performance for a utility serving 53,601 people.

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

53,601
People Served
4
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0
Contaminants Flagged
$283K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Compliance Trajectory

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

Violations went from 6 (2023) to 1 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Bowling Green Municipal Utilities Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary

Service Area Demographics

$73,975
Median Household Income
126,490
Service Area Population
33%
Disadvantaged Population
50th
Poverty Percentile
50th
Energy Burden Percentile
42%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Bowling Green Municipal Utilities serves a community with a median household income of $73,975 and an estimated 126,490 residents across its service area. Approximately 42% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 33% 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

Bowling Green Municipal Utilities'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
50th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
30th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 1% of homes in Warren 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

35 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
35 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 50% 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. 1 detection recorded.

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

Frankfort Plant Board
52,153 people
C 5 violations
B 0 violations
Ashland Water Works
44,402 people
D 1 violation
Mountain Water District
44,057 people
C 10 violations
Paducah Water Works
65,004 people
B 0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation PFAS Treatment
Flood Insurance $1,050
Radon Mitigation $400
PFAS Treatment $125
Total Estimated Cost $1,575

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 $1,575 (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

Bowling Green Municipal Utilities (EPA ID: KY1140038) is a community water system in Kentucky that serves approximately 53,601 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 4 ZIP codes across 1 community.

Violation History

No violations recorded — This water system has no recorded EPA violations in the past 5 years.

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 Filter

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

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: 3 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.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Bowling Green Municipal Utilities (KY1140038) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bowling Green Municipal Utilities water safe to drink?

Based on EPA records, Bowling Green Municipal Utilities has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.

How many people does Bowling Green Municipal Utilities serve?

Bowling Green Municipal Utilities serves approximately 53,601 people across 4 ZIP codes in Kentucky.

Where does Bowling Green Municipal Utilities 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.

Samples collected
116

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
3,703
Galvanized — Replacement Required
0
Unknown Material
17,013
Confirmed Non-Lead

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 2022-01-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Population served: 53,601
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 →

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

Should I use a water filter?
Bowling Green Municipal Utilities meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Bowling Green Municipal Utilities serve?
Bowling Green Municipal Utilities serves approximately 53,601 people with drinking water across 4 ZIP codes.
What is Bowling Green Municipal Utilities's water source?
Bowling Green Municipal Utilities draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of Bowling Green Municipal Utilities's service area?
The Bowling Green Municipal Utilities service area has a median household income of $73,975. EPA EJScreen data classifies 33% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Bowling Green Municipal Utilities get its water?
Bowling Green Municipal Utilities'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.
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