Effingham County, GA
drinking water quality
73,148 residents · 83 public water systems · 6 ZIP codes
EPA sampled 3 of 83 public water systems here, together serving about 29,028 people. The highest reading was PFOS at 6.4 ng/L at Effingham County Surface Water System. 1 of the sampled system was above a federal limit. Last sampled 9/8/2025.
What was found
| Compound | Highest result | Federal limit | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOS | 6.4 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 1.6× |
| PFOA | 5.7 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 1.4× |
Also detected, with no federal limit set: PFBS (4.9 ng/L), PFPeA (3.4 ng/L), PFHxA (3 ng/L).
What this means
PFAS are industrial chemicals that EPA describes as breaking down only very slowly in the environment. In April 2024 EPA set the first enforceable national limits: 4 ng/L for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ng/L for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX.
These figures are county-level and come from EPA’s sampling of public water systems. They describe the worst result found in the county, not what comes out of any particular tap — that depends on which system serves the address, and on the plumbing in the building. A private well is not covered by this programme at all.
ZIP codes in Effingham County
31303 · 31307 · 31312 · 31318 · 31326 · 31329
Readings are county-level, so every ZIP here shares the figure above. Search your ZIP on the map to see it in context.