We read 26 results from Smiths Water and Sewer Authority’s 2024 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 3 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 31,695 people · Water system ID AL0000820 · Read the district’s 2024 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2024 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenicas reported · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 0.34 ppb | 0.004 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal85x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)highest measured · range 4.3 to 7.9 · printed as 0.0079 ppb · Treated water · 2024 report, page 5 | 7.9 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20292x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029Not a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| PFOS (a PFAS)highest measured · range 4.5 to 8 · printed as 0.0080 ppb · Treated water · 2024 report, page 5 | 8 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20292x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029Not a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| Bariumas reported · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 0.02 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorideas reported · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 14.5 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Chromium (total)as reported · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 0.63 ppb | None set | 100 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps · 2024 report, page 4 | 0.12 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 21.1 to 51.1 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 4 | 39.1 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 23 to 67.4 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 4 | 58.2 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideas reported · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 0.82 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Lead90th percentile of homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · printed as ND ppm · Customer taps · 2024 report, page 4 | Not detected | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Not detected |
| Manganeseas reported · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 0.01 ppm | — | 0.05 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Nitrate (as N)as reported · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 0.56 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 2.6 · printed as 0.0026 ppb · Treated water · 2024 report, page 5 | 2.6 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| PFNA (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 2.2 · printed as 0.0022 ppb · Treated water · 2024 report, page 5 | 2.2 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| Seleniumas reported · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 0.84 ppb | 30 ppb | 50 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Sulfateas reported · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 26.8 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Total dissolved solidsas reported · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 93 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 0.08 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| Bromodichloromethaneas reported · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 2.6 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| Chloroformas reported · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 4.2 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| Hardnessas reported · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 2.22 gpg (38 ppm) | — | — | Soft |
| PFBS (a PFAS)highest measured · range 1.6 to 4.6 · printed as 0.0046 ppb · Treated water · 2024 report, page 5 | 4.6 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHpA (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 2.5 · printed as 0.0025 ppb · Treated water · 2024 report, page 5 | 2.5 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)highest measured · range 1.7 to 5.6 · printed as 0.0056 ppb · Treated water · 2024 report, page 5 | 5.6 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumas reported · Treated water · 2024 report, page 4 | 12.1 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper. 1 number we weren’t sure about is held back until a person checks.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in Smiths Water and Sewer Authority’s water between Jan 2024 and Oct 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA5.9 pptFound in 4 of 4 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS6.3 pptFound in 4 of 4 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFBS4.4 pptFound in 4 of 4 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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