Is there PFAS in Barrow County Water System water?
No PFAS were detected in any of the 4 samples EPA's program collected.
Barrow County Water System is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Winder, Georgia, serving about 17,893 people, including Auburn, Hoschton, Bethlehem, Monroe, Statham, Winder. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 4 times across 1 sampling point between Jan 2023 and Nov 2023.
Every PFAS detected
None of the 29 PFAS were found at or above EPA's minimum reporting levels (2 to 20 ppt depending on the compound).
Not detected: PFBA, PFEESA, ADONA, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, PFHpS, PFPeS, PFMBA, PFPeA, PFMPA, 8:2 FTS, PFUnA, 6:2 FTS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, 4:2 FTS, PFHpA, PFTrDA, PFTA, NMeFOSAA, PFOA, PFBS, 9Cl-PF3ONS, PFHxS, PFOS, PFDA, PFDoA, PFHxA, NFDHA, NEtFOSAA.
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
No PFAS action is needed on these results. If your water tastes or smells of chlorine, a whole-house city water filter is the usual fix.
Other systems in Georgia
- Demorest 1 PFAS detected
- Lafayette above an EPA limit
- Union City 3 PFAS detected
- Moultrie none detected
- Rincon none detected
- Notla Water Authority none detected
All 256 tested systems in Georgia
ZIP codes served
30011 30548 30620 30656 30666 30680
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 Barrow County Water System water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID GA0130031. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/georgia/barrow-county-water-system/
About this data
Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID GA0130031). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.