AK / Barrow
AK · Tap water records
Barrow tap water, in plain English
Here is what the EPA's own data shows about tap water in Barrow. According to EPA SDWIS data retrieved June 2026, Barrow is served by 2 active community water systems, together reported to serve about 5,538 people.
As of June 2026, EPA records show 37 violations across the community water system(s) serving Barrow, going back to the earliest EPA record. 2 of these are classified by the EPA as health-based (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks); the rest are monitoring or reporting violations. Each is listed by system below, with its status.
What the EPA has on record, by system
Barrow Utilities & Elec. Coop., Inc. (Bu
4,900 served · surface water · PWSID AK2320078 - Health-based Surface Water Treatment Rule: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 2 times in October 2024. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Surface Water Treatment Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 5 times between August 2017 and September 2023. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times in September 2023. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Revised Total Coliform Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times between August 2017 and March 2023. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Chlorine: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 5 times between July 2017 and January 2023. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
The Water Service
638 served · surface water · PWSID AK2320230 - Monitoring Chlorine: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in August 2025. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Surface Water Treatment Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in August 2025. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 6 times between July 2004 and July 2023. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring TTHM: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times between April 2021 and July 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times between April 2021 and July 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring contaminant code null: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2011. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
What this means
A health-based violation means a contaminant was recorded above the limit the EPA tracks for it. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was late or missed — not that a contaminant was measured above a limit. “Returned to compliance” means the EPA recorded the issue as resolved.
This page summarizes the EPA's own records and does not assess whether your water is safe to drink. For the most current details, you can verify every record directly with the EPA, and contact your water system with questions.
Source: U.S. EPA Envirofacts SDWIS, retrieved June 2026. Records cover the EPA's full reporting history for these systems. Verify at EPA ECHO.