Marshall County, Alabama: drinking water report. Marshall County in northeast Alabama has about 97,000 residents, with Albertville and Guntersville as the…
Marshall County in northeast Alabama has about 97,000 residents, with Albertville and Guntersville as the main population centers. Lake Guntersville, an impoundment on the Tennessee River, provides the primary water source. The county's economy centers on poultry processing – Marshall County is one of the top poultry-producing counties in the country – and that agricultural intensity has implications for both surface water and groundwater quality.
Poultry litter application as fertilizer is the dominant agricultural practice in Marshall County. According to the Alabama Cooperative Extension System's 2024 nutrient management report, the county generates more poultry litter per acre than nearly any other county in the state. Excess phosphorus and nitrogen from litter application have been documented in tributaries feeding Lake Guntersville, contributing to seasonal algal growth.
The Tennessee River's PFAS contamination from upstream sources also affects Marshall County. ADEM's 2024 monitoring found combined PFAS at 18 ppt in Lake Guntersville water samples near the county's intake. While lower than concentrations in Morgan County, these levels exceed the new federal MCL for several individual PFAS compounds.
Marshall County's water quality challenges come from two directions – agricultural nutrient loading from local poultry operations and industrial PFAS carried downstream through the Tennessee River system. Both affect the lake that serves as the drinking water source.
Check your water for monitoring data at your address. For the combination of nutrient byproducts and PFAS, reverse osmosis offers the broadest protection. Our water filter guide covers systems suited to surface water sources. Pull your detailed report for seasonal trends, and visit our Alabama page for statewide context.