Well & TapHome Water Treatment Database

Is there PFAS in Shelby County Water System water?

Yes. EPA's final UCMR 5 results show Shelby County Water System averaged 23.0 ppt of PFOA at its worst sampling point, 5.8 times the EPA limit of 4 ppt.

Shelby County Water System Serves 40,101 people · 8 PFOA samples from 2 sampling points · Mar 2024 to Dec 2024 Average above an EPA limit
PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid 23.0 ppt avg · max 26.1
EPA 4
PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid 21.7 ppt avg · max 27.7
EPA 4
PFHxS Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid 2.4 ppt avg · max 3.4
EPA 10
Hazard index GenX, PFBS, PFNA, PFHxS combined 0.3 avg · max 0.4
EPA 1

Also detected, no federal limit: PFBS, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFBA, PFHpA.

Averages are for the worst sampling point, with non-detects counted as zero. Source: EPA UCMR 5.

Shelby County Water System is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Sterrett, Alabama, serving about 40,101 people, including Chelsea, Columbiana, Harpersville, Sterrett, Vincent, Wilsonville. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 8 times across 2 sampling points between Mar 2024 and Dec 2024.

Every PFAS detected

PFAS Detected Highest Worst point avg EPA limit
PFBS
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid		 8 of 8 114 ppt 99.8 ppt none
PFPeA
Perfluoropentanoic acid		 8 of 8 47.6 ppt 39.3 ppt none
PFHxA
Perfluorohexanoic acid		 8 of 8 28.3 ppt 24.5 ppt none
PFOS
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid		 7 of 8 27.7 ppt 21.7 ppt 4 ppt
PFOA
Perfluorooctanoic acid		 8 of 8 26.1 ppt 23.0 ppt 4 ppt
PFBA
Perfluorobutanoic acid		 8 of 8 21.7 ppt 17.8 ppt none
PFHpA
Perfluoroheptanoic acid		 8 of 8 9.9 ppt 8.6 ppt none
PFHxS
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid		 3 of 8 3.4 ppt 2.4 ppt 10 ppt

Not detected: PFDA, PFUnA, PFDoA, PFNA, NMeFOSAA, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, PFPeS, PFTrDA, PFTA, PFMPA, NEtFOSAA, PFHpS, NFDHA, PFEESA, 9Cl-PF3ONS, 8:2 FTS, 4:2 FTS, 6:2 FTS, HFPO-DA, ADONA, PFMBA.

Lithium, tested in the same program: not detected.

What the EPA limits mean here

In April 2024 EPA set enforceable limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX, and a hazard index of 1 for mixtures. Utilities were given until 2029 to comply. In May 2026 EPA proposed keeping only the PFOA and PFOS limits and moving that deadline to 2031. Until that proposal is final, the 2024 limits stand.

Compliance is judged on a running annual average at each entry point, so we show the average at this system's worst sampling point next to its single highest result. UCMR 5 results do not by themselves put a utility in or out of compliance.

What you can do at home

Two routes work for PFAS. For drinking and cooking water only, a reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI 58 with a PFOA/PFOS reduction claim is the cheapest proven option. To treat every tap and shower, a whole-house carbon system with enough contact time works, but check that the maker has PFAS test data, not just a marketing claim. See the best filters for PFAS and how PFAS removal works.

Other systems in Alabama

All 307 tested systems in Alabama

ZIP codes served

35043 35051 35078 35147 35178 35186 35242

As reported by the utility to EPA. Neighbouring ZIPs are often split between systems; your water bill names yours.

Cite this page

Well & Tap. "PFAS in Shelby County Water System water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID AL0001671. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/alabama/shelby-county-water-system/

About this data

Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID AL0001671). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.