Public water system · AL0000580

Active

Highland Water Authority

At a glance

Highland Water Authority (PWSID AL0000580) is an active community water system in Etowah County, Alabama. It reports serving 3,963 people through 1,321 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in February 2019.

Dataset updated October 2026 . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.

Population served

3,963

Service connections

1,321

Primary source

SWP

Purchased surface water

System type

CWS

Community water system

System record

PWSIDAL0000580

System typeCommunity water system

Activity statusActive

Population served3,963

Service connections1,321

Primary water sourcePurchased surface water

Owner typeLocal government

Primacy agencyAL state drinking water program

City servedGadsden

StateAlabama

ZIP—

CountyEtowah County

How does Highland Water Authority compare with other water systems in Etowah County?

By EPA's size categories, Highland Water Authority is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Etowah County has 17 active public water systems. Its population served is about half of the county average of 7,350 people per system, and accounts for 3.2% 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 Highland Water Authority is about 41% 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 surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 152 Alabama systems (26%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.

Who owns and regulates Highland Water Authority?

EPA lists Highland Water Authority 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 Highland Water Authority have drinking water violations?

Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in February 2019. The violations listed here began between November 2017 and February 2019. By type: 12 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) (6 of them). EPA lists 12 as resolved. 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.

Began	Violation	Contaminant or rule	Health-based	Status
2019-02-28	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950	No	Resolved
2019-02-28	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456	No	Resolved
2018-11-29	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950	No	Resolved
2018-11-29	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456	No	Resolved
2018-09-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950	No	Resolved
2018-09-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456	No	Resolved
2018-05-30	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456	No	Resolved
2018-05-30	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950	No	Resolved
2018-03-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950	No	Resolved
2018-03-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456	No	Resolved
2017-11-28	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950	No	Resolved
2017-11-28	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456	No	Resolved

The 12 most recent 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.

Highland Water Authority: frequently asked questions

Who runs Highland Water Authority?

Highland Water Authority (PWSID AL0000580) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the AL state drinking water program.

How many people does Highland Water Authority serve?

Highland Water Authority reports serving 3,963 people through 1,321 service connections in Etowah County, Alabama.

Where does Highland Water Authority get its water?

EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.

Does Highland Water Authority have any drinking water violations?

Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in February 2019. 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 Highland Water Authority'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. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in February 2019. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the AL state drinking water program.

Where can I find Highland Water Authority's water quality report?

As a community water system, Highland Water Authority 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, “Highland Water Authority, PWSID AL0000580, Alabama”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/alabama/highland-water-authority-al0000580 (data as of October 1, 2026).