Water System Number GA0510003
The City of Savannah Water Supply and Treatment department is pleased to report that your drinking water, supplied by the Savannah Main System, meets all state and federal requirements. To learn more about safety regulations and testing, see the table included in this report.
The Floridan Aquifer is a source of drinking water for many people in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. In our area, the only treatment required is the addition of a disinfectant prior to distribution. Fluoride is also added to promote dental health.
In the surface water treatment process, alum and polymer are added to the water to cause fine mud particles to clump together and settle out of the water. The clear water is then filtered, disinfected with chlorine and ammonia, and balanced for pH and corrosiveness with lime and phosphate.
This drinking water is then distributed to your home. The City of Savannah provides some of the most affordable drinking water in the Southeast.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revised the Lead and Copper Rules to require water utilities to complete an inventory of water service lines on the public and private side. In 2024, the inventory had to classify lines as either Not Lead, Lead, Galvanized Needing Replacement, or Unknown. Savannah’s inventory is available to the public in the form of an interactive map.
Protecting the Source
Source Water Assessment Plan: In 2002, the City of Savannah completed a Source Water Assessment Plan (SWAP) for Abercorn Creek, a tributary of the Savannah River. In 2019, a full update was completed. The purpose of updating the SWAP was to identify new potential contamination sources throughout the watershed and to determine the risks these sources pose to the water supply. Due to the rapid turnover of forest land to warehousing, the City completed a partial update in 2022. The overall contaminant susceptibility for Abercorn Creek is now MEDIUM HIGH. This is an increase from the 2002 report rating of LOW and the 2019 rating of MEDIUM. Some Potential Pollution Sources (PPS) include: commercial and industrial developments, the number of pipe and road stream crossings, and sewer lift stations and pipelines. A complete list of all PPS, their substances of concern and the assessment methods are in the SWAP and available to the public on the City of Savannah's Water Resources page.
In order to protect our drinking water supplies, the City has joined a collaboration of people interested in protecting the quality of the Savannah River for future generations and keeping drinking water affordable. The collaboration includes representatives from five water utilities in Georgia and South Carolina. It also includes representatives from the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities, The Nature Conservancy, The Georgia Conservancy, and Savannah Riverkeeper. For more information please contact Laura Walker, Water Resources Environmental Manager at (912) 651-2221 or via email.
Drinking Water Analysis
The City has met all sampling and reporting requirements. This data was collected from January through December 2024.
| Substance tested and detected |
Chlorine
|
Fluoride
|
Total Triahlomethanes (TTHMs)
|
Total Haloacetic Acids (THAAs)
|
Total Organic Carbon
|
Total Coliform Bacteria
|
Turbidity
|
Nitrate
|
Lead
|
Copper
|
Arsenic
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Probable Source
|
Water additive used to control microbes | Erosion of natural deposits, water additive to promote strong teeth | Byproduct of water chlorination | Byproduct of water chlorination | Naturally present in the environment | Naturally present in the environment | Soil runoff | Runoff from fertilizer use, leaching from septic tanks, sewage, or erosion of natural deposits | Corrosion of household plumbing | Corrosion of household plumbing | Erosion of natural deposits, runoff from orchards, runoff from glass and electronics production wastes |
|
Amount Detected
|
1.99 ppm | 1.26 ppm | 63.075 ppb | 41.025 ppb | 35-50% (Removal Required) |
0.8% of monthly samples | 99% of samples were below 0.3 NTU | 0.26 ppm | 3.9 ppb (90th Percentile) |
0.11 ppm (90th Percentile) |
6 ppb |
|
Meets Drinking Water Standards
|
check | check | check | check | check | check | check | check | check | check | check |
|
Maximum Disinfectant Residual Level Goal
The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health.
|
4 ppm | ||||||||||
|
Maximum Disinfectant Residual Level Allowed
The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
|
4 ppm | ||||||||||
|
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal
The level of contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health, allowing for a margin of safety.
|
4 ppm | 0 ppb | 0 ppb | Not applicable | 0% of monthly samples | 0 NTU | 0 ppm | 0 ppb | 1.3 ppm | 0 ppb | |
|
Maximum Contaminant Level Allowed
The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. This level is set as close to the goal as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
|
4 ppm | 80 ppb | 60 ppb | Treatment technique | 5% of monthly samples | Treatment technique = 1 NTU or 95% of samples < 0.3 NTU | 10 ppm | 10 ppb | |||
|
Action Level
The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
|
15 ppb | 1.3 ppm | |||||||||
|
Range Detected During Reporting Year
|
0.19-1.99 ppm | 0.05-1.26 ppm | Not detected - 122 ppb | Not detected - 76 ppb | 36.36-68.38% Removal | Not applicable | Not applicable | 0-0.26 ppm | 0-100 ppb | 0.014-0.22 ppm | Not detected - 6 ppb |
Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring
|
Manganese
|
Bromide
|
Total Organic Carbon
|
HAA5
|
HAA6Br
|
HAA9
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Amount Detected
|
11 ppb | 34.3 ppb | 6,400 ppb | 47.4 ppb | 8.56 ppb | 55.96 ppb |
|
Range Detected During Reporting Year
|
8-11 ppb | 20.6-34.3 ppb | 3,170-6,400 ppb | 0.61-47.4 ppb | 0.31-8.56 ppb | 0.92-55.96 ppb |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) selected the City of Savannah to participate in the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation 3 (UCMR 3) program. Unregulated contaminants are those for which EPA has not established drinking water standards. The purpose of unregulated contaminant monitoring is to assist EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated contaminants in drinking water and whether future regulation is warranted.
Unregulated contaminants were last sampled in 2020.
All sources of drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some substances. All water sources are fed by water that passes over the land or through the ground, dissolving naturally occurring minerals and materials, or picking up substances along the way. These substances may include:
If you have any questions regarding safe drinking water regulations or these test results, you may contact the City of Savannah Water Supply and Treatment Department at (912) 964-0698.
Health Information
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immune-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their healthcare providers.
EPA/Center for Disease control guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risks of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
Lead can cause serious health effects in people of all ages, especially pregnant people, infants (both formula-fed and breastfed), and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and parts used in service lines and in home plumbing. Savannah Main is responsible for providing high quality drinking water and removing lead pipes but cannot control the variety of materials used in the plumbing in your home. Because lead levels may vary over time, lead exposure is possible even when your tap sampling results do not detect lead at one point in time. You can help protect yourself and your family by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family's risk. Using a filter, certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead, is effective in reducing lead exposures. Follow the instructions provided with the filter to ensure the filter is used properly. Use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. Boiling water does not remove lead from water. Before using tap water for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula, flush your pipes for several minutes. You can do this by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes. If you have a lead service line or galvanized requiring replacement service line, you may need to flush your pipes for a longer period. If you are concerned about lead in your water and wish to have your water tested, contact 311 or (912) 651-6565. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
To access all individual Lead Tap Sample results for Savannah Main, contact us via email or at (912) 651-2221.
The Service Line Inventory (SLI) is a requirement under the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) to help water systems identify and replace lead service lines. It mandates that all public water systems develop and maintain an inventory of service line materials to assess the presence of lead and protect public health. The inventory will support proactive lead reduction efforts and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements to minimize lead exposure in drinking water. To access the SLI for Savannah Principal, visit the Lead Free Savannah page.