Anchorage Municipality County, Alaska — public water systems

How does Anchorage Municipality County compare with other Alaska counties?

Anchorage Municipality County has the 3rd-most active public water systems among the 25 counties listed for active Alaska systems in EPA records; among the 24 with 3 or more systems, the median has 23. Its systems report 305,135 people served in total, the largest county figure in the state and 35% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 1,981 people, about 3 times the Alaska average of 653. Population figures are what each system reports; people served by more than one system, such as a wholesaler and the town that buys from it, are counted by each.

Where does Anchorage Municipality County's drinking water come from?

By primary water source, Anchorage Municipality County's active systems draw on groundwater (143, 93%), purchased surface water (7, 4.5%), surface water (3, 1.9%) and groundwater under influence of surface water (1, 0.6%). Overall, 94% rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and 6.5% on surface water, compared with 84% and 16% across Alaska. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. The county's largest system, Moa Municipality of Anchorage, draws primarily on surface water.

What kinds of water systems operate in Anchorage Municipality County?

Anchorage Municipality County's active systems break down as 69 community systems (45%), 15 non-transient non-community systems (9.7%) and 70 transient non-community systems (45%). 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. A non-transient non-community water system regularly serves at least 25 of the same people for more than six months a year, but not where they live. Schools, factories, office buildings and hospitals with their own supply are typical examples. A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. EPA lists their owner types as private (81%), local government (7.1%), federal government (7.1%) and state government (2.6%).