Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
Birmingham Municipal Water System
Birmingham Municipal Water System delivers tap water graded C (67/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 200,000 residents in Birmingham, Alabama using surface water from the Cahaba/Black Warrior Rivers. The most significant water quality concerns are: Lead detected in source water; Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline; Chromium-6 detected. For questions, the utility can be reached at (205) 638-7829.
Is Birmingham tap water safe to drink?
Birmingham Municipal Water System delivers tap water that earns a grade of C (67/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — an average rating, with several contaminants above health guidelines but generally compliant with US legal limits.
The utility serves 200,000 residents in Birmingham, drawing from surface water (Cahaba/Black Warrior Rivers) and disinfecting with chloramine.
Public testing data identifies 12 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Chromium-6 (Hexavalent), Chromium-6 (Hexavalent), Chromium-6 (Hexavalent), Lead, Lead, Lead. For most residents, a properly certified home filter at the kitchen tap is the most cost-effective way to reduce exposure to whatever's in your water. See our filter recommendations below, matched specifically to this utility's contaminant profile.
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for Birmingham Municipal Water System.
Lead detected in source water
Severe concernLead detected at 2.3 ppb. EWG considers no level of lead safe; EPA's action level is 15 ppb.
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic Acids (HAA5) detected at 29.2 ppb, 292x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Chromium-6 detected
Moderate concernChromium-6 detected at 0.32 ppb.
Contact Birmingham Municipal Water System
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Water Quality Contact
For questions about contaminants, test results, or your Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment Plant
Recommended water filters for Birmingham
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
NSF/ANSI 53 certified for lead removal
$80-$750NSF 53 is the gold standard certification for lead removal. Required when lead is a documented concern.
Carbon block (NSF/ANSI 42 + 53)
$40-$750Activated carbon is highly effective for disinfection byproducts like TTHM and HAA5.
Reverse Osmosis
$249-$750Chromium-6 requires reverse osmosis for reliable removal. Standard carbon filters do not address it.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
Score breakdown
This utility's overall score of 67/100 breaks down across five weighted components. Read the full methodology →
Contaminants detected — international standards comparison
Every contaminant detected, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal (the strictest US benchmark). Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
29.2 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 2024 | 292× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
23.9 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 2022 | 239× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
20.9 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 2023 | 209× over |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
32.7 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 2022 | 55× over |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
32.6 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 2024 | 54× over |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
27.1 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 2023 | 45× over |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.337 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 2022 | 17× over |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.32 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 2024 | 16× over |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.266 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 2023 | 13× over |
| Lead Heavy metal |
2.3 ppb | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0.2 | 2024 | — |
| Lead Heavy metal |
2.51 ppb | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0.2 | 2023 | — |
| Lead Heavy metal |
2.36 ppb | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0.2 | 2022 | — |
| Contaminant | Detected (2024) | EWG | EPA | EU DWD | WHO | CA PHG | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
32.6 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 54× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
29.2 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 292× over |
| Lead Heavy metal |
2.3 ppb | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0.2 | — |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.32 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 16× over |
| Contaminant | Detected (2023) | EWG | EPA | EU DWD | WHO | CA PHG | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
27.1 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 45× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
20.9 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 209× over |
| Lead Heavy metal |
2.51 ppb | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0.2 | — |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.266 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 13× over |
| Contaminant | Detected (2022) | EWG | EPA | EU DWD | WHO | CA PHG | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
32.7 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 55× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
23.9 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 239× over |
| Lead Heavy metal |
2.36 ppb | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0.2 | — |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.337 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 17× over |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines (4th ed.), California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database, and Birmingham Municipal Water System's Consumer Confidence Report.
Birmingham Municipal Water System service area
This water system serves 1 community in Jefferson County, Alabama. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for Birmingham water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.