Charleston Utilities
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2008. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
MS / Charleston
MS · Tap water records
Charleston tap water, in plain English
Here is what the EPA's own data shows about tap water in Charleston. According to EPA SDWIS data retrieved October 2026, Charleston is served by 9 active community water systems, together reported to serve about 6,718 people.
As of October 2026, EPA records show 174 violations across the community water system(s) serving Charleston, going back to the earliest EPA record. 10 of these are classified by the EPA as health-based (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks); the rest are monitoring or reporting violations. Each is listed by system below, with its status.
- 9Community water systems
- ~6,718People served (EPA-reported)
- October 2026EPA records reviewed through
What the EPA has on record, by system
Blue Cane, Cowart & Tippo W/A.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times between July 2003 and July 2012. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between October 2008 and January 2009. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Cascilla Water Association
- Health-based Arsenic: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 6 times between July 2022 and October 2025. The EPA record lists a level of 0.011 MG/L; the limit (MCL) is 0.01 MG/L. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between October 2008 and August 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Arsenic: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Barium: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Cadmium: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Chromium: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Fluoride: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Mercury: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Antimony, Total: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Beryllium, Total: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Thallium, Total: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Selenium: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Xylenes, Total: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring DICHLOROMETHANE: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring o-Dichlorobenzene: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring p-Dichlorobenzene: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Vinyl chloride: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring 1,1-Dichloroethylene: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring 1,2-Dichloroethane: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring 1,1,1-Trichloroethane: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Carbon tetrachloride: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring 1,2-Dichloropropane: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Trichloroethylene: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring 1,1,2-Trichloroethane: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Tetrachloroethylene: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring CHLOROBENZENE: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Benzene: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Toluene: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Ethylbenzene: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Styrene: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Revised Total Coliform Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times between May 2017 and November 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Chlorine: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times between April 2017 and October 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Combined Uranium: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times between January 2013 and October 2021. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Nitrate-Nitrite: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and October 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Nitrate: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and October 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Nitrite: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and October 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Lead and Copper Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 8 times between July 2002 and July 2012. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Paynes Water Association
- Monitoring Revised Total Coliform Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times between December 2016 and June 2020. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Chlorine: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times between October 2016 and April 2020. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2002 and July 2009. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2008. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
South Quitman-S Lambert Utl
- Health-based LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded once in October 2024. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2024. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Lead and Copper Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 5 times between July 1993 and July 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Revised Total Coliform Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in April 2018. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Chlorine: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in April 2018. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 5 times between July 2003 and July 2009. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
East Charleston Water Assn
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between October 1999 and July 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 5 times between July 2021 and May 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring contaminant code null: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 3 times between January 2021 and December 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Revised Total Coliform Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 3 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Chlorine: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2021 and April 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Lead and Copper Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
South Quitman-West Crowder
- Health-based LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded once in October 2024. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2024. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Lead and Copper Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 1993 and January 2018. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 5 times between July 2003 and July 2009. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
South Quitman-South Tutwiler
- Health-based LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded once in October 2024. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2024. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Chlorine: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between April 2018 and October 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Lead and Copper Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 1993 and January 2018. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 5 times between July 2003 and July 2009. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
South Quitman-East Tutwiler
- Health-based LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded once in October 2024. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2024. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 5 times between July 2003 and July 2009. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Lead and Copper Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in July 1993. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
What this means
A health-based violation means a contaminant was recorded above the limit the EPA tracks for it. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was late or missed — not that a contaminant was measured above a limit. “Returned to compliance” means the EPA recorded the issue as resolved.
This page summarizes the EPA's own records and does not assess whether your water is safe to drink. For the most current details, you can verify every record directly with the EPA, and contact your water system with questions.
Source: U.S. EPA Envirofacts SDWIS, retrieved October 2026. Records cover the EPA's full reporting history for these systems. Verify at EPA ECHO.