Short answer: No measured result is above a legal limit. Central Alabama Water System serves 653,322 residents.
EPA lists this system for the city. Your water bill or annual water quality report names your actual supplier.
Source: EPA SDWIS 2026Q2.
Also supplies: Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Homewood, Mountain Brook, Gardendale, Center Point, Clay, Fairfield, Pleasant Grove, Fultondale, Pinson, Tarrant, Kimberly, Warrior, Morris, Trafford
CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (EPA PWSID AL0000738) delivers surface water to 653,322 residents. This report reflects 29 individual PFAS result(s) from the source UCMR5 observations and the latest Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile result. Water hardness and disinfectant type are pending the utility's own annual report.
0health-based violations in the last 10 years
From EPA SDWIS. A clean violation history means no enforcement action was recorded; it does not cover contaminants without a limit.
No result is not a pass. Your utility's annual water quality report may list them, and a certified lab test covers your own tap.
Plumbing inside a home can add lead that the system record can't show. A tap test tells you what reaches your glass.
lead 1.2 µg/L, below the 15 µg/L action level (detected below the limit); 12,350 lead service lines; 18 galvanized lines to replace (context, not a tap measurement)
PFBS 7.9 ng/L, below the 2000 ng/L EPA health advisory (+4 more PFAS detected)
Screening tells you if something is worth a closer look; a lab result is the number you can act on.
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Screening: quick check, not lab-grade
Safe Home (EnviroTestKits)
Lead, read as one of three ranges: 0–4, 5–15 or 15+ ppb
What it can't tell you: It shows a lead range, not an exact level, and tests nothing else unless you pay extra for the optional lab test.
Lab-certified results
ETR Laboratories
50+ substances, including lead, copper, arsenic, nitrate, hardness and coliform bacteria
What it can't tell you: It does not test PFAS, and not every result on the panel falls under the lab's accredited scope.
When your results arrive, read them here →
Each card names which Birmingham findings its current certification covers, and which it doesn't.
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PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For Birmingham, PFAS were detected below their limits, and 6:2 FTS 5.8 ng/L, PFBA 6.1 ng/L and PFPeA 11.3 ng/L with no federal or state limit; the lead 90th-percentile result was 1.2 µg/L against the 15 µg/L action level. CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (PWSID AL0000738) has a Purity Score of 99/100 (confidence: moderate), assessed at the water-system level and computed only from contaminants that were measured. Water can change in your own pipes, so a certified test is the only way to know what comes out of your tap.
CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (PWS ID AL0000738) is the public water system on record for Birmingham, Alabama, serving about 653,322 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding.
Surface water (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS).
In EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19), PFBS was detected at 7.9 ng/L, below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory and PFHxA was detected at 8.5 ng/L, below the 400,000 ng/L state limit. 6:2 FTS (5.8 ng/L), PFBA (6.1 ng/L) and PFPeA (11.3 ng/L) were also detected; they have no federal or state limit.
CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER's most recent lead 90th-percentile result (2024–2026) was 1.2 µg/L, below the 15 µg/L action level. That figure comes from sampled homes; lead usually enters from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so only a test at your tap tells you what you drink.
PurityMap's current record for Birmingham holds 31 findings: 3 detected within the reference, 3 detected with no limit and 25 not detected. Each finding links to its dated public record; a parameter that was never monitored is shown as pending, not as a pass.
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| Contaminant | Result | Benchmark | Status | Sampled | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead (90th percentile) | 1.2 µg/L | 15 µg/L federal action level | Below the listed reference | 2024–2026 monitoring period (still open) | Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | 7.9 ng/L | 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit | Within the referenced health-based guidance value | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) | 8.5 ng/L | 400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state) | Within a historical reference; current applicability unverified | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS) | 5.8 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Detected, no limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) | 6.1 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Detected, no limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | 11.3 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Detected, no limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Contaminant | Result | Benchmark | Status | Sampled | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS) | < 5 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS) | < 5 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS) | < 3 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| 4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA) | < 3 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| 9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS) | < 2 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals) | < 5 ng/L | 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Lithium | < 9 µg/L | 10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA) | < 5 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA) | < 6 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA) | < 20 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA) | < 3 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA) | < 4 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA) | < 3 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) | < 3 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) | < 3 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) | < 3 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) | < 3 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) | < 3 ng/L | 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) | < 4 ng/L | 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) | < 4 ng/L | 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | < 4 ng/L | 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS) | < 4 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA) | < 8 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) | < 7 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
| Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA) | < 2 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | Not detected above the reporting limit | 2024-08-21 to 2025-05-19 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738) |
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS)
Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS)
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS)
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS)
4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)
9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS)
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals)
N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA)
N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA)
Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)
Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA)
Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)
Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)
Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)
Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)
Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)
Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)
Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)
Every value is the published result from the cited public record. A reporting limit is the lowest level the method could reliably quantify; a non-detect is not a guarantee of zero.
UCMR5 Analytical Results
UCMR5 Analytical Results: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738)
US EPA
State SDWIS Compliance Record
Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER (AL0000738)
US EPA SDWIS
Methodology: how we analyze water. Prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the PurityMap Editorial Team before publication.
Start with the hot-or-cold tap check. Where Central Alabama Water System reported something related, it's shown below.
Lead at Central Alabama Water System: 1.2 µg/L (90th percentile, 2024–2026 monitoring period (still open)). Lead has no taste, so a taste neither shows nor rules it out.
A ZIP code is a postal area, not a water service area. Your water bill names your supplier.