Photo: Calvin Beale · Public domainLiving in Chatom, AL: what to set up and who to call
Power in Chatom comes from Clarke-Washington E M C, a cooperative utility rather than a private company. The closest ER is Washington County Hospital, 0.9 miles away.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Chatom, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Chatom.
Power comes from Clarke-Washington E M C
Clarke-Washington E M C (Clarke-Washington E M C), a cooperative utility, serves all of Chatom. Its homes paid an average of 15.9¢ per kWh in 2025, about $158 a month (its average across Alabama).
Start or move service: cwemc.com · (251) 246-9081
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Chatom, the Utilities Board of the Town
Chatom, the Utilities Board of the Town supplies Chatom: about 30% of residents live in its service area. About 70% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It draws ground water (EPA lists Fruitdale Water System as seller) and serves 2,037 people in all.
No health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026, like 78% of the 7,966 systems serving 1,001–3,300 people.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2024–Dec 2026, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0 (EPA’s estimate). Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. AL0001358.
2 home internet providers serve Chatom
24% of 578 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 0% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millry Communications | DSL | 94% | 25/3 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 28% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Chatom’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Chatom.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Chatom is in Washington County School District.
BSchool gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jul 2019; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Chatom is in ZIP code 36518
ZIP codes where Chatom residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Chatom | ZIP’s residents in Chatom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36518 | Chatom, AL | 100% | 44% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Chatom
Who supplies Chatom’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Chatom, the Utilities Board of the Town (EPA ID AL0001358). It reported no health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026; 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2024–Dec 2026), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Chatom?
Clarke-Washington E M C (Clarke-Washington E M C), a cooperative utility. Its homes paid about 15.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Chatom?
Millry Communications, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Chatom?
36518. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Chatom in?
Washington County School District.
How do I register to vote in Chatom?
In Alabama you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before). Elections here are run by the Washington County Circuit Clerk. Check your registration at myinfo.alabamavotes.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.