North Kona
EPA ID: HI0000131 · 29,581 people served · 5 ZIP codes
North Kona's record shows 1 remedied violation — all cleared, currently compliant, 29,581 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for North Kona Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade B
Service Area Demographics
The North Kona serves a community with a median household income of $87,360 and an estimated 99,585 residents across its service area. Approximately 60% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 33% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.
💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?
North Kona's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.
About 5% of homes in Hawaii County, Hawaii rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How North Kona compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Stage 2 DBP Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Hawaii
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.
System Overview
North Kona (EPA ID: HI0000131) is a community water system in Hawaii that serves approximately 29,581 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 5 ZIP codes across 4 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: B (77/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Health-based | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 1 | Yes |
Lead & Copper
No Lead and Copper Rule sampling data available for this water system.
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 3 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 2 additional ZIPs inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for North Kona (HI0000131) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is North Kona water safe to drink?
North Kona has recorded 1 health-based violation in the past 5 years. While the system is required to treat water to meet federal standards, you may want to consider additional precautions such as a certified water filter.
How many people does North Kona serve?
North Kona serves approximately 29,581 people across 5 ZIP codes in Hawaii.
Where does North Kona get its water?
The primary water source is groundwater.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from North Kona Water System Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: North Kona Water System Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.
Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
This system reports zero confirmed lead service lines in its inventory. Unknown-material counts may still warrant verification.
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.
Notable events and violations
This section summarizes events the utility chose to disclose in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report, plus any federal compliance violations the utility recorded against itself. Both lists are utility-authored — ZipCheckup does not audit, judge, or reorder them.
Federal compliance violations on record
These entries are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR violations section. EPA defines four broad violation categories: Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), Treatment Technique (TT), Monitoring & Reporting (M&R), and Public Notification (PN).
-
Monitoring/ReportingDate not published
North Kona Water System collected only 29 of the required 30 lead/copper tap samples during the monitoring period (June–September 2024). One sample short of required count.
Violations record from North Kona Water System Consumer Confidence Report.
Notable events from the utility's CCR
These bullet entries are the utility's own narration of operational, regulatory, or infrastructure events during the reporting period.
- Lead/Copper July 2024: 29 samples collected (1 short of required 30) — monitoring violation only, no AL exceedances
- Lead 90th percentile: ND (all 29 samples ND), 0/29 sites over AL
- Copper range: ND–0.259 ppm, 0/29 sites over AL (AL=1.3 ppm)
- Beta/photon emitters 5.8 pCi/L (2021 data; well below 50 pCi/L MCL)
- All PFAS (UCMR5) ND including PFOA, PFOS, PFBS, PFHxA, Lithium
- UCMR4 HAA6Br 2.78 ppb (range 1.2–4.3 ppb, unregulated)
- Sodium 27.0 ppm (unregulated; near EPA taste advisory range 30-60 ppm)
- 14 groundwater well sources
ZipCheckup note: items above reflect what the utility published in its most recent CCR. Federal violation records are also tracked separately by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) — the SDWIS record is the authoritative federal source for any specific regulatory action.
How Water Systems Appear in Rankings
Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
North Kona (EPA ID: HI0000131) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.