Mcalester Pwa
EPA ID: OK1020609 · 18,206 people served · 2 ZIP codes
Tallying the federal enforcement file for Mcalester Pwa yields 20 open violations that have not been formally closed — each finding sits in the EPA database while the utility continues to deliver water to approximately 18,206 residents and works through the required corrective action process.
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 3 (2024) to 27 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Mcalester Pwa Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Mcalester Pwa serves a community with a median household income of $55,430 and an estimated 28,687 residents across its service area. Approximately 65% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 100% 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?
Mcalester Pwa'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 2% of homes in Pittsburg 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 Mcalester Pwa compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
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.
Benzene at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.005 mg/L.
Fecal Coliform at 5 presence exceeds the EPA maximum of presence.
Chlorite at 4 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 1 mg/L. Anemia and nervous system effects in infants and children. Consider ferrous sulfate reduction filtration.
Stage 2 DBP Rule at 4 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. 1 detection 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
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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
Mcalester Pwa (EPA ID: OK1020609) is a community water system in Oklahoma that serves approximately 18,206 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 2 ZIP codes across 1 community.
Average Home Safety Score: C (66/100)
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 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Health-based | Unresolved |
| March 1, 2025 | Fecal Coliform | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| February 1, 2025 | Fecal Coliform | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| January 1, 2025 | Fecal Coliform | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Health-based | Resolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Benzene | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Fecal Coliform | Health-based | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | E. coli | Health-based | Resolved |
| June 1, 2024 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2023 | Chlorite | Health-based | Unresolved |
| June 1, 2023 | Fecal Coliform | Health-based | Unresolved |
| April 1, 2023 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Health-based | Unresolved |
| April 1, 2023 | Chlorite | Health-based | Unresolved |
| April 1, 2023 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Health-based | Unresolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Chlorite | 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 |
| Fecal Coliform | Microbiological | 5 | Yes |
| Chlorite | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | Yes |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 4 | Yes |
| Benzene | Organic | 1 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 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 →
Chlorite (EPA limit: 1 mg/L)
Anemia and nervous system effects in infants and children At-risk groups: infants, developing fetuses, people with G6PD deficiency.
Removal methods: ferrous sulfate reduction, activated carbon, 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: 1 ZIP code 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 Mcalester Pwa (OK1020609) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mcalester Pwa water safe to drink?
Mcalester Pwa has recorded 27 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 Mcalester Pwa serve?
Mcalester Pwa serves approximately 18,206 people across 2 ZIP codes in Oklahoma.
Where does Mcalester Pwa 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 MCALESTER PWA 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: MCALESTER PWA 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 MCALESTER PWA 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.
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 · CHLORINE2024-07-01
RES DISINFECT CONCENTRATION (SWTR)
-
monitoring · TURBIDITY2024-07-01
SINGLE COMB FLTR EFFLUENT (IESWTR/LT1)
Violations record from MCALESTER PWA Consumer Confidence Report.
Notable events from the utility's CCR
These bullet entries are the utility's own narration of operational, regulatory, or infrastructure events during the reporting period.
- Coliforms were found in more samples than allowed and this was a warning of potential problems.
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.
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
Mcalester Pwa (EPA ID: OK1020609) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.