Jefferson County, Alabama: drinking water report. Jefferson County – Birmingham and surrounding communities – serves about 660,000 residents.
Jefferson County – Birmingham and surrounding communities – serves about 660,000 residents. Birmingham Water Works Board (BWWB) draws from the Cahaba River, Lake Purdy, and Inland Lake, operating a system that dates to 1888. The utility serves both the city and numerous suburban communities, making it one of the largest water systems in the Southeast.
Birmingham's Cahaba River watershed provides a generally clean source, though the city's industrial history – Birmingham was the steel capital of the South for over a century – has left contamination in soils and groundwater throughout the metro area. The water treatment system meets federal standards, but aging distribution infrastructure includes older mains and service lines that can introduce lead and other metals.
UCMR5 data shows low-level PFAS detections in the BWWB system. Alabama does not have state-specific PFAS standards. According to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management's 2024 compliance data, the BWWB system met all federal contaminant limits. The Birmingham area's biggest recent water infrastructure controversy has been the county's sanitary sewer consent decree – a $3.4 billion overhaul that has been described as one of the most expensive per-capita infrastructure projects in US history.
Birmingham's water source is sound, but distribution infrastructure age varies across the service area.
Check your water for data specific to your area. A filter certified for lead reduction is practical in older homes. Our water filter guide covers options. Pull your detailed report, and visit our Alabama page for statewide context.