Dekalb County, Georgia: drinking water report. DeKalb County borders Atlanta to the east, serving about 760,000 residents.
DeKalb County borders Atlanta to the east, serving about 760,000 residents. The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management draws from the Chattahoochee River via the city of Atlanta's system and from the South River through its own Scott Candler treatment plant. The county has faced recurring infrastructure challenges, including aging distribution mains and treatment plant capacity issues that have periodically affected water quality.
DeKalb County has been under a federal consent decree since 2010 for Clean Water Act violations related to sanitary sewer overflows. While the consent decree primarily addresses wastewater, the underlying infrastructure problems – aging pipes, deferred maintenance – affect the distribution side as well. Boil-water advisories have been issued multiple times in recent years following water main breaks.
UCMR5 data shows low-level PFAS detections in the DeKalb system. According to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division's 2024 monitoring data, PFAS concentrations were below proposed federal MCLs. The more immediate water quality risks in DeKalb are related to infrastructure – lead from older service connections and bacterial contamination from pressure loss events.
Infrastructure reliability is the top concern in DeKalb County. If your neighborhood has experienced boil-water advisories, a point-of-use filter with bacterial reduction capabilities is worth considering as a permanent fixture.
Check your water for data in your area. A filter certified for lead and bacterial reduction addresses the most common DeKalb-specific risks. Our water filter guide covers which types work. Pull your detailed report, and see our Georgia page for statewide patterns.