Water Quality: Alpena, MI
6 water systems • 16,215 people served
Some ConcernsWater Quality Summary
Alpena is served by 6 public water systems with a combined service population of 16,215 people, and has 36 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 2 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Alpena's violation count is 34% above the national average for Michigan. Contaminants associated with violations include E. coli, Stage 2 DBP.
Contaminants Found
Causes gastrointestinal illness; certain strains (e.g., O157:H7) can cause severe kidney failure and death.
Common source: Fecal contamination from humans or animals entering the water supply
EPA limit: Zero (no E. coli permitted in drinking water)
Trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids that increase cancer risk and may cause adverse reproductive outcomes.
Common source: Chlorine disinfection reacting with natural organic matter in source water
EPA limit: TTHM: 0.080 mg/L; HAA5: 0.060 mg/L
Water Systems Serving Alpena
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALPENA, CITY OF | MI0000160 | Surface Water | 10,128 | 1 |
| CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF ALPENA | MI0000170 | Surface Water | 5,839 | 6 |
| ORCHARD PLACE MANOR APARTMENTS | MI0005039 | Groundwater | 120 | 12 |
| SUNSET ESTATES GAYLORD | MI0040416 | Groundwater | 50 | 5 |
| LINCOLN ESTATES | MI0040001 | Groundwater | 48 | 7 |
| LINCOLN MANOR | MI0003868 | Groundwater | 30 | 5 |
Concerned About Your Water?
A home water filter can remove common contaminants. NSF-certified filters are tested against EPA standards.
Consider a reverse osmosis system for comprehensive filtration or a carbon filter for basic improvement.
Other Cities in Michigan
Data Sources
Drinking water violation data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Data includes all recorded violations for active community water systems.