Altus
EPA ID: OK1011501 · 18,717 people served · 3 ZIP codes
Looking at the EPA enforcement file for Altus, 15 violations are listed as unresolved — those findings cover the utility's service area of approximately 18,717 people and remain open in the federal compliance system, awaiting formal corrective action documentation.
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 1 (2022) to 17 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Altus Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Altus serves a community with a median household income of $59,857 and an estimated 20,574 residents across its service area. Approximately 71% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 75% 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?
Altus'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 Jackson County, Oklahoma 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 Altus compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Benzene at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.005 mg/L.
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) at 23 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.06 mg/L. Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) at 5 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.08 mg/L. Bladder & rectal cancer risk; reproductive concerns. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 14 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Fecal Coliform at 3 presence exceeds the EPA maximum of presence.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 3 detections recorded.
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) was detected in this water system. granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Oklahoma
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
Altus (EPA ID: OK1011501) is a community water system in Oklahoma that serves approximately 18,717 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 3 ZIP codes across 2 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (69/100)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Fecal Coliform | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Contaminant 1008 | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Health-based | Unresolved |
| January 1, 2025 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Health-based | Unresolved |
| January 1, 2025 | Benzene | Monitoring | Resolved |
| December 30, 2024 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Health-based | Resolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Health-based | Unresolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Benzene | Monitoring | Resolved |
| September 29, 2024 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Monitoring | Resolved |
| August 1, 2024 | Chlorite | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Health-based | Unresolved |
| April 1, 2024 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Health-based | Unresolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 23 | Yes |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 14 | No |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 5 | No |
| Fecal Coliform | Microbiological | 3 | Yes |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 3 | No |
| Benzene | Organic | 2 | No |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | Yes |
| Contaminant 1008 | Other Violation | 1 | No |
| Chlorite | Disinfection Byproducts | 1 | No |
| E. coli | Microbiological | 1 | Yes |
Health Risk Details
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (EPA limit: 0.06 mg/L)
Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects At-risk groups: pregnant women, infants, long-term consumers of chlorinated municipal water.
Removal methods: granular activated carbon (GAC), carbon block filter, reverse osmosis. Find the right filter →
E. coli (EPA limit: Zero tolerance (any positive sample triggers immediate action))
Severe GI illness; potentially fatal kidney failure in children At-risk groups: children under 5, elderly, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women.
Removal methods: UV disinfection (99.99%), chlorination, reverse osmosis. Find the right filter →
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
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 $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: 2 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 Altus (OK1011501) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Altus water safe to drink?
Altus has recorded 19 health-based violations 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 Altus serve?
Altus serves approximately 18,717 people across 3 ZIP codes in Oklahoma.
Where does Altus get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from ALTUS Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: ALTUS 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 ALTUS 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: 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.
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 · Total Organic Carbon2024-08-01/2024-08-31
Missing TOC samples
-
monitoring · Atrazine2024-10-01/2024-12-31
Missing Atrazine samples
-
MCL · TTHM2024-01-01/2024-03-31
MCL, LRAA
-
MCL · TTHM2024-04-01/2024-06-30
MCL, LRAA
-
MCL · TTHM2024-07-01/2024-09-30
MCL, LRAA
-
MCL · TTHM2024-10-01/2024-12-31
MCL, LRAA
-
monitoring · Operational Evaluation Level2024-03-31/2024-06-11
FAILURE SUBMIT OEL REPORT FOR TTHM
-
monitoring · Operational Evaluation Level2024-12-30/2025-03-05
FAILURE SUBMIT OEL REPORT FOR TTHM
Violations record from ALTUS 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.
- #26 / 100 Most Unresolved Health Violations (U.S.)
- #33 / 100 Highest Exposure Burden (U.S.)
- #13 / 50 Most Unresolved Health Violations (Oklahoma)
- #20 / 50 Most Disadvantaged Populations Served (Oklahoma)
- #4 / 50 Highest Exposure Burden (Oklahoma)
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
Altus (EPA ID: OK1011501) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.