Short answer: In the 2023–2026 records we hold for Huntsville, two PFAS, PFOA and PFOS, each had a sample above a 2024 EPA limit (not a violation: the limits are judged on a yearly average, due 2029). Also worth knowing: the water is hard. 9 substances were detected and 25 were tested and not detected. The water is from Huntsville Utilities, serving 310,107 residents.
2 water systems report serving Huntsville. This report uses the largest, HUNTSVILLE UTILITIES WATER DEPT.. Your water bill names your actual supplier. Source: EPA SDWIS 2026Q2.
Surface water
Treated and disinfected with chlorine.
Mains, then your building’s service line.
Plumbing inside the building is outside this record.
Two PFAS, PFOA and PFOS, each had a sample above a 2024 EPA limit (not a violation: the limits are judged on a yearly average, due 2029); the water is hard.
9 ng/L, sampled 2023-02-14 to 2023-12-04. EPA UCMR 5.
4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024): a legal limit. That limit is judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet it, so a single sample is not a violation. EPA health goal (MCLG): 0.
One EPA sample measured 9 ng/L, above the 4 ng/L limit EPA set in 2024. That limit is judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet it, so a single sample is not a violation.
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 (PFOA/PFOS)).
4.7 ng/L, sampled 2023-02-14 to 2023-12-04. EPA UCMR 5.
4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024): a legal limit. That limit is judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet it, so a single sample is not a violation. EPA health goal (MCLG): 0.
One EPA sample measured 4.7 ng/L, above the 4 ng/L limit EPA set in 2024. That limit is judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet it, so a single sample is not a violation.
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 (PFOA/PFOS)).
37.4 ppb, sampled 2024. Utility CCR.
60 ppb federal MCL: a legal limit.
37.4 ppb (below the 60 ppb federal limit).
Forms in the pipes as the disinfectant reacts with natural organic matter.
Test your own tap first. Technologies that can reduce it: Activated carbon, Reverse osmosis.
40.9 ppb, sampled 2024. Utility CCR.
80 ppb federal MCL: a legal limit.
40.9 ppb (below the 80 ppb federal limit).
Forms in the pipes as the disinfectant reacts with natural organic matter.
Test your own tap first. Technologies that can reduce it: Activated carbon, Reverse osmosis.
6.2 ng/L, sampled 2023-02-14 to 2023-12-04. EPA UCMR 5.
2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit).
Detected at up to 6.2 ng/L (below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory; a screening level, not a legal limit).
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBS named on the listing).
4.4 ng/L, sampled 2023-02-14 to 2023-12-04. EPA UCMR 5.
400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state): a state limit.
Detected at up to 4.4 ng/L (below the 400,000 ng/L historical comparison reference).
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFHxA named on the listing).
7.6 gpg, sampled 2024. Utility CCR.
Aesthetic, no federal health limit.
130 mg/L as CaCO3 (7.6 grains/gal), hard. Aesthetic (scale/appliances), not a health finding.
Shows up as scale in kettles, water heaters and fixtures.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Ion-exchange water softener (NSF/ANSI 44 (softeners)).
11 ng/L, sampled 2023-02-14 to 2023-12-04. EPA UCMR 5.
No federal limit is on record for it.
Detected at up to 11 ng/L. No federal or state limit exists for this substance; shown for transparency, not graded.
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBA named on the listing).
5.3 ng/L, sampled 2023-02-14 to 2023-12-04. EPA UCMR 5.
No federal limit is on record for it.
Detected at up to 5.3 ng/L. No federal or state limit exists for this substance; shown for transparency, not graded.
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFPeA named on the listing).
HUNTSVILLE UTILITIES WATER DEPT. (EPA PWSID AL0000882) delivers surface water to 310,107 residents. This report reflects 29 individual PFAS result(s) from the source UCMR5 observations and the latest Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile result. The utility's 2024 CCR reports hard water and chlorine disinfection.
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.
The record describes water leaving treatment and samples across the system. Pipes, solder and fixtures inside a building can add lead the record can’t see, especially in older buildings with lead service lines.
Test your waterMeasured in this report
Sampled across the system
Not in this record
Only a tap test measures it
Know what comes from your tap, starting with a first-draw lead sample.
Compare each result with its named reference in our test reader.
Choose a technology certified for what your test found.
Screening tells you if something is worth a closer look; a lab result is the number you can act on.
As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
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.
Screening: quick check, not lab-grade
Varify
17 strip readings, including lead, chlorine, fluoride, iron and hardness, plus 2 coliform bacteria tests
What it can't tell you: Strip colors give rough ranges, not lab numbers, and it cannot detect PFAS or arsenic.
When your results arrive, read them here → · Compare every kit we list
| Finding | Reference type | Technology | Certification to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)9 ng/L | Federal MCL | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 (PFOA/PFOS) |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)4.7 ng/L | Federal MCL | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 (PFOA/PFOS) |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5)37.4 ppb | Federal MCL | Activated carbon, Reverse osmosis | Check the certifier’s listing |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)40.9 ppb | Federal MCL | Activated carbon, Reverse osmosis | Check the certifier’s listing |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)6.2 ng/L | Screening level | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBS named on the listing |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)4.4 ng/L | State limit | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFHxA named on the listing |
| Water hardness7.6 gpg | Aesthetic, no health limit | Ion-exchange water softener | NSF/ANSI 44 (softeners) |
| Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)11 ng/L | No federal limit | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBA named on the listing |
| Galvanized service lines1 galvanized on record (EPA inventory, 2026Q2) | Not a tap measurement | Lead-certified carbon filter, or reverse osmosis | NSF/ANSI 53 (lead) |
★ Best choice: Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage Under-Sink Filter (AQ-5200), certified for PFOA, PFOS and lead.
| Pick | Product | Details and price | Certification | Why it’s listed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Best choice | Under-sinkAquasana Claryum 2-Stage Under-Sink Filter (AQ-5200) | TreatsPFOA, PFOS and leadPrice$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, WQA) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Huntsville’s record.See the evidence | Check price on Amazon |
| Also good | Under-sinkAquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under-Sink Filter (AQ-6300M) | TreatsPFOA, PFOS and leadPrice$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, WQA) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Huntsville’s record.See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
| Also good | CountertopAquasana Clean Water Machine Countertop Filter (AQ-CWM2) | TreatsPFOA, PFOS and leadPrice$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, WQA) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Huntsville’s record.See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
| Pick | Product | Details and price | Certification | Why it’s listed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also good | Reverse osmosisSmartFlow® Reverse Osmosis | TreatsPFOA, PFOS and leadTechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53 (includes P473), WQA) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Huntsville’s record.See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
| Also good | Under-sinkWaterdrop G3P600 Tankless Reverse-Osmosis System | TreatsPFOA, PFOS and leadPrice$$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Huntsville’s record.See the evidence | Check price at Waterdrop |
| Also good | Under-sinkWaterdrop G3P800 Tankless Reverse-Osmosis System | TreatsPFOA, PFOS and leadPrice$$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Huntsville’s record.See the evidence | Check price at Waterdrop |
| Also good | CountertopAquaTru Carafe Countertop Reverse-Osmosis Purifier (AT100) | TreatsPFOA, PFOS and leadPrice$$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Huntsville’s record.See the evidence | Check price on Amazon |
| Also good | CountertopAquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse-Osmosis Purifier (AT2000) | TreatsPFOA, PFOS and leadPrice$$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Huntsville’s record.See the evidence | Check price on Amazon |
| Also good | CountertopPatriot Pure Ultimate Water Filtration System | TreatsPFOA, PFOS and leadPrice$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, NSF, IAPMO) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Huntsville’s record.See the evidence | Check price on Amazon |
| Also good | Reverse osmosisiSpring RCC7AK Alkaline Reverse Osmosis SystemUse code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order. | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for PFOA, PFOS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | See the evidence | Check price at iSpring |
| Also good | Reverse osmosisiSpring RO5004F Tankless Reverse Osmosis System with UVUse code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order. | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for PFOA, PFOS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | See the evidence | Check price at iSpring |
| Also good | Reverse osmosisWaterdrop X12 Reverse Osmosis System | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for PFOA, PFOS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | See the evidence | Check price at Waterdrop |
★ Best choice: HealthShield™, certified for PFOA and PFOS.
| Pick | Product | Details and price | Certification | Why it’s listed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Best choice | Whole-houseHealthShield™ | TreatsPFOA and PFOSPrice$$$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, WQA) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Huntsville’s record.See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
| $ Budget pick | Whole-houseiSpring WGB32B-PFKS PFAS & Heavy Metals Whole House FilterUse code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order. | Price$$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for PFOA, PFOS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | See the evidence | Check price at iSpring |
Also: lead picks → · hard water picks →
PurityMap earns a commission from these links. "Best choice" and "Budget pick" go to certified products first; commission never decides them. As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
Lead service lines
Huntsville Utilities reported 1 galvanized service lines to replace in EPA’s inventory (2026Q2). Many utilities replace these lines for free or share the cost. Ask Huntsville Utilities whether your home’s line is on its list before you pay anyone.
Local help
Call to be connected with a local plumbing provider about lead service lines, repiping or fixture replacement.
Older buildings may have lead service lines, solder or fixtures. Huntsville’s utility reported 1 galvanized service lines in EPA’s inventory. Test first-draw water, then filter if needed.
6 of 29 PFAS tested were detected in Huntsville’s record (PFOS 9 ng/L, PFOA 4.7 ng/L and PFBS 6.2 ng/L, and more); 2 above their limit. If PFAS matters to you, a filter certification names each compound it covers.
Utilities keep a disinfectant in the pipes on the way to your tap. A carbon filter certified for chlorine reduces the taste.
Scale is a comfort and appliance issue, not a health one.
Reverse osmosis reduces many dissolved contaminants, including lead and minerals, at a single faucet, with some water sent to drain.
Get one email when Huntsville’s record changes.
One email when a new sampling round is published, a result moves above or below its reference, or the system's score changes.PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For Huntsville, PFOS 9 ng/L and PFOA 4.7 ng/L were measured in one EPA sample each, above the 4 ng/L limit EPA set in 2024 (not a violation: the limits are judged on a yearly average, due 2029). HUNTSVILLE UTILITIES WATER DEPT. (PWSID AL0000882) has a Purity Score of 61/100 (confidence: high), 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. What we found →
HUNTSVILLE UTILITIES WATER DEPT. (PWS ID AL0000882) is the public water system on record for Huntsville, Alabama, serving about 310,107 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding. Water utility →
Surface water (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS). Water utility →
Yes. In EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2023-02-14 to 2023-12-04), PFOS was measured at 9 ng/L in one EPA sample, above the 4 ng/L limit EPA set in 2024 and PFOA was measured at 4.7 ng/L in one EPA sample, above the 4 ng/L limit EPA set in 2024. EPA's 2024 limits are judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet them, so a single sample is not a violation. PFBS (6.2 ng/L, below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory) and PFHxA (4.4 ng/L, below the 400,000 ng/L state limit) were also detected. PFBA (11 ng/L) and PFPeA (5.3 ng/L) were also detected; they have no federal or state limit. Reverse osmosis and filters certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS reduce them at the tap. What we found →
Lead is not in Huntsville's current published record. Lead usually enters from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so a certified home test is the way to know yours. Your household →
PurityMap's current record for Huntsville holds 34 findings: 3 above a reference, 4 detected within the reference, 2 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. Records →
Huntsville's water is recorded as 7.6 gpg, hard. Hardness is an aesthetic and plumbing characteristic, not a health-based limit. Choose your situation →
UCMR5 Analytical Results
UCMR5 Analytical Results: HUNTSVILLE UTILITIES WATER DEPT. (AL0000882)
US EPA
State SDWIS Compliance Record
Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: HUNTSVILLE UTILITIES WATER DEPT. (AL0000882)
US EPA SDWIS
Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
Huntsville Utilities 2024 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
Huntsville Utilities
Methodology: how we analyze water. Prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the PurityMap Editorial Team before publication.
EPA SDWIS, EPA UCMR 5 and utility reports, each dated and linked.
Units converted to one basis; a non-detect kept distinct from zero.
Each result tagged by reference type: MCL, action level, screening level or aesthetic.
Every value sits against its own reference, never a blended one.
Measured subjects summarised at the water-system level; an open health-based violation caps the score.
Treatment is matched to what was found; a product is called certified only when its current certification names it.
What the Purity Score means: a summary of this water system’s published record, capped while a health-based violation is open. It is not a test of any tap. HUNTSVILLE UTILITIES WATER DEPT. · PWSID AL0000882 · Purity Score 61/100 (Fair) · Confidence: high · Assessed at the water-system level
Full methodology →Start with the hot-or-cold tap check. Where Huntsville Utilities reported something related, it's shown below.
Huntsville disinfects with chlorine (utility water-quality report).
Lead at Huntsville Utilities: not detected (90th percentile, 2024–2026 monitoring period (still open)). Lead has no taste, so a taste neither shows nor rules it out.