Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Athens, GA tap water
9 contaminants were measured in the Athens, GA water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 9
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Service area
- GA
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Athens, GA's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 3 sources.
Source
- BEAR CREEK RESERVOIR
- MIDDLE OCONEE RIVER
- NORTH OCONEE RIVER
Treatment
- ATHENS WATER PLANT
Distribution
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 1.99Reported levelSystem-wide | 4MRDLG | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 1.28–1.28Reported levelSystem-wide | 4MCLG | Within the limit |
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 0.37Reported levelSystem-wide | 10MCLG | Within the limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.08690th percentileAt the tap | 1.3MCLG | Within the limit |
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 3.590th percentileAt the tap | 0MCLG | Detected — no federal limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | Not detectedReported levelSystem-wide | 0MCLG | None detected |
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 1.16AverageAnnual Average Removal | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 30.7–50.5Reported levelSystem-wide | 0MCLG | Detected — no federal limit |
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 42.97–83.6Reported levelSystem-wide | 0MCLG | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Athens, GA's water
+Is Athens, GA tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 9 contaminants measured in Athens, GA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Athens, GA tap water?
9 contaminants were measured in Athens, GA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, and metals. 8 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Athens, GA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Athens, GA's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.