Public water system · AL0000575
ActiveFords Valley & Hwy 278 Water
At a glance
Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water (PWSID AL0000575) is an active community water system in Etowah County, Alabama. It reports serving 5,616 people through 1,872 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2013.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
5,616
Service connections
1,872
Primary source
GWP
Purchased groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water compare with other water systems in Etowah County?
By EPA's size categories, Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Etowah County has 17 active public water systems. Its population served is about 24% below the county average of 7,350 people per system, and accounts for 4.5% of the 124,954 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Alabama, the 576 active systems average 11,028 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water is about 16% below that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Alabama has 505 active community water systems, 88% of the state's 576 active systems. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 37 Alabama systems (6.4%) list purchased groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water?
EPA lists Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water as owned by a local government. The AL state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 17 of the 17 active systems in Etowah County (100%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2013. The violations listed here began between June 2004 and September 2013. By type: 7 monitoring and reporting and 2 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (3 of them). EPA lists 6 as resolved and 3 as archived. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-09-20 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2012-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2012-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2006-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 2006-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2006-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2006-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
All 9 violations in EPA's records, newest first. Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water: frequently asked questions
Who runs Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water?
Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water (PWSID AL0000575) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the AL state drinking water program.
How many people does Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water serve?
Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water reports serving 5,616 people through 1,872 service connections in Etowah County, Alabama.
Where does Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased groundwater. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2013. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2013. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the AL state drinking water program.
Where can I find Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water's water quality report?
As a community water system, Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Etowah County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden, the Wwsb of the City of | Etowah | 44,637 | Community | Surface water |
| Rainbow City, Wwb of the Town of | Etowah | 12,363 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Southside Water Works and Sewer Board | Etowah | 12,327 | Community | Groundwater |
| Attalla Water Works Board | Etowah | 8,403 | Community | Groundwater under influence of surface water |
| West Etowah Water & Fire Pro Authority | Etowah | 6,900 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Glencoe Water Works Board | Etowah | 6,465 | Community | Groundwater |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Fords Valley & Hwy 278 Water, PWSID AL0000575, Alabama”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/alabama/fords-valley-hwy-278-water-al0000575 (data as of October 1, 2026).