Bibb County, Georgia: drinking water report. Bibb County in central Georgia includes Macon and about 153,000 residents.
Bibb County in central Georgia includes Macon and about 153,000 residents. The Macon Water Authority draws from the Ocmulgee River and Javors Lucas Lake, treating water at two plants. The county sits at the Fall Line – the geological boundary between the Piedmont and the Coastal Plain – which influences both hydrology and the types of contaminants found in local water.
The Ocmulgee River receives municipal and industrial discharges from upstream communities before reaching the Macon intake. According to Georgia EPD's 2024 watershed assessment, the river shows elevated nutrient levels and periodic E. coli exceedances at recreational monitoring sites in the county. Treatment plants manage these inputs, but the raw water quality drives disinfection byproduct formation.
Robins Air Force Base, located 15 miles south in Houston County, is one of the largest Air Force maintenance facilities in the country. The base has documented PFAS contamination from AFFF use that has affected groundwater in the region. A 2024 Georgia EPD investigation found PFAS at 18 ppt in monitoring wells between the base and Macon, raising questions about potential migration toward Bibb County water sources.
Macon's surface water supply is treated effectively, but the proximity to Robins AFB and its documented PFAS contamination warrants monitoring – particularly for residents on private wells in the southern part of the county.
Check your water for current data. For disinfection byproducts from treated river water, a carbon filter at the tap helps. For PFAS concerns, reverse osmosis provides the strongest household option. Our water filter guide compares systems by certified performance. Get your detailed report for historical data, and see our Georgia page for statewide context.