SOUTHSIDE WATER WORKS AND SEWER BOARD vs CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER SYSTEM
Water quality comparison — risk levels, violations, PFAS records, and contaminants
Quick Answer
CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER SYSTEM has a lower risk classification (safe). SOUTHSIDE WATER WORKS AND SEWER BOARD has 0 open health-based violations and 174 PFAS records. CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER SYSTEM has 0 open health-based violations and 148 PFAS records.
Alabama · AL0000591
Low Concern
Minor detections below regulatory limits. Routine monitoring adequate.
0
Open violations
174
PFAS records
Alabama · AL0000738
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
0
Open violations
148
PFAS records
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | SOUTHSIDE WATER WORKS AND SEWER BOARD | CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER SYSTEM |
|---|---|---|
| State | Alabama | Alabama |
| Risk Level | Low Concern | No Concerns Detected |
| Population Served | 12,327 | 585,000 |
| Open Health Violations | 0 | 0 |
| Total Violations | 76 | 3 |
| PFAS Records | 174 | 148 |
| Ownership | Local | Local |
| Service Type | Groundwater | Surface water |
| City Served | Southside | — |
Contaminants in Violation Records
SOUTHSIDE WATER WORKS AND SEWER BOARD
- Bromate
- Arsenic
- Chromium
- Fluoride
CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER SYSTEM
- Lead
Key Differences
SOUTHSIDE WATER WORKS AND SEWER BOARD has a low risk rating vs. safe for CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER SYSTEM.
SOUTHSIDE WATER WORKS AND SEWER BOARD has 174 PFAS records vs. 148 for CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER SYSTEM.
What Should I Do?
If either utility shows open violations or elevated PFAS records, consider:
- Installing a reverse osmosis filter — removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, nitrates, and most heavy metals.
- Requesting your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for the most current test results.
- Ordering a certified lab water test if you want contaminant-specific data for your address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is safer — SOUTHSIDE WATER WORKS AND SEWER BOARD or CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER SYSTEM?
CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER SYSTEM has a lower risk classification (safe). CENTRAL ALABAMA WATER SYSTEM has 0 open health-based violations compared to 0 for the other system.
What does "open health-based violation" mean?
An open health-based violation means a water system has exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or failed to meet a treatment technique — and the violation has not yet been resolved. These are the most serious type of water quality violations.
How current is this data?
Violation data comes from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), which is updated as utilities report. PFAS data comes from EPA's UCMR 5 monitoring (2023–2025). Risk levels are recalculated daily.
What does PWSID mean?
PWSID stands for Public Water System ID — a unique federal identifier assigned to each community water system. You can use it to look up a system in EPA's ECHO database.