Here is what the EPA's own data shows about tap water in Covington. According to EPA SDWIS data retrieved October 2026, Covington is served by 8 active community water systems, together reported to serve about 14,652 people.
As of October 2026, EPA records show 57 violations across the community water system(s) serving Covington, going back to the earliest EPA record. 2 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.
Health-based Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 2 times between June 2023 and March 2024. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
Monitoring Chlorine: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in March 2026. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
Monitoring TTHM: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in July 2024. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in July 2024. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Nitrate-Nitrite: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Chloride: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Iron: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Manganese: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Nickel: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Sodium: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Sulfate: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Zinc: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Color: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Corrosivity: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring TDS: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2023. 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 once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Pounding Mill
1,965 served · surface water · PWSID VA2005600
As of October 2026, EPA records show no reported violations for this system in the period covered. This is not a guarantee about every substance, or about the water inside your home's plumbing.
Selma / Low Moor / Valley Ridge
1,884 served · surface water · PWSID VA2005840
Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times in February 2024. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): 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.
Monitoring TTHM: 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.
Cliftondale Park/ Wilson Creek/ Sharon
1,860 served · surface water · PWSID VA2005160
Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): 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.
Monitoring TTHM: 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.
Intervale/Clearwater Park
1,332 served · surface water · PWSID VA2005440
As of October 2026, EPA records show no reported violations for this system in the period covered. This is not a guarantee about every substance, or about the water inside your home's plumbing.
Rosedale/Callaghan
858 served · surface water · PWSID VA2005800
As of October 2026, EPA records show no reported violations for this system in the period covered. This is not a guarantee about every substance, or about the water inside your home's plumbing.
Cherokee
504 served · surface water · PWSID VA2005095
As of October 2026, EPA records show no reported violations for this system in the period covered. This is not a guarantee about every substance, or about the water inside your home's plumbing.
Wesgate
288 served · surface water · PWSID VA2005950
Monitoring Chlorine: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2023. 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 October 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring TTHM: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2023. 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.