Here is what the EPA's own data shows about tap water in Athens. According to EPA SDWIS data retrieved October 2026, Athens is served by 2 active community water systems, together reported to serve about 134,331 people.
As of October 2026, EPA records show 9 violations across the community water system(s) serving Athens, going back to the earliest EPA record. 1 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.
Monitoring Nitrate: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2025. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Revised Total Coliform Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 3 times between May 2020 and January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Athens,The Water Works Bd Of The City Of
43,431 served · surface water · PWSID AL0000824
Health-based Chlorine dioxide: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded once in December 2025. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between March 2008 and December 2025. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in July 2001. 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 October 2026. Records cover the EPA's full reporting history for these systems. Verify at EPA ECHO.