Tuscaloosa Water & Sewer
Tuscaloosa, Alabama · PWSID: AL0001313
Tuscaloosa Water Quality Summary
Tuscaloosa Water & Sewer supplies drinking water to about 166,524 people in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and draws from surface water (rivers, lakes, or reservoirs), which requires fuller treatment for runoff, sediment, and microbial risk. On the IsWaterSafe scale it earns a failing Water Safety Score of 8 out of 100 (Grade F), a composite of its EPA SDWIS violation and contaminant record.
EPA records show 6 health-based violations for this system plus 2 monitoring violations. A health-based violation means a contaminant exceeded its legal EPA limit, the most serious category in the Safe Drinking Water Act. The system has 16 enforcement actions on file in response.
Among the 3 substances sampled, Chlorine is the clearest concern: a reading of 1.152 ntu against an EPA limit (MCL) of 4 ppm, sampled August 2023. In total, 5 contaminant exceedances are recorded for this system.
The most recent documented episode is a treatment technique violation involving Chlorine, beginning August 2023 and marked resolved September 2023.
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Detected Contaminants
| Contaminant | Detected Level | MCL (Limit) | Status | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes | 40 ppb | 80 ppb | Within Limit | Apr 1, 2022 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 30 ppb | 60 ppb | Within Limit | Apr 1, 2022 |
| Chlorine | 1.152 ntu | 4 ntu | Exceeds Limit | Aug 1, 2023 |
Violation History
Frequently Asked Questions
Tuscaloosa Water & Sewer has a Water Safety Score of F (8/100). The system serves 166,524 people and has 6 health violations on record. Check the contaminant table above for specific detected substances.
Tuscaloosa Water & Sewer has 5 contaminant exceedances above EPA health guidelines. See the full contaminant detection table above for all tested substances and their levels relative to legal limits and health guidelines.
The Water Safety Score (0-100, grades A through F) is based on contaminant levels relative to legal limits, health guideline exceedances, violation history, and enforcement actions. Higher scores indicate fewer concerns.
If your water system has violations, request the Consumer Confidence Report from your utility, consider getting an independent water test from a certified lab, and look into certified water filters for specific contaminants of concern. For lead, run cold water for 30 seconds before drinking.
Water quality data sourced from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Safety scores are calculated based on contaminant levels, violations, and enforcement history. This is not a substitute for your utility's official Consumer Confidence Report.
Source: EPA Ground Water and Drinking Water, 2026.