Historical Compliance Records NC

Union County Water System

EPA ID: NC0190413 ยท 169,685 people served ยท 13 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Union County Water System (NC0190413): 1 EPA violation in the last five years. Within the five-year EPA monitoring span, Union County Water System accumulated 1 violation - every finding has been resolved and the utility operates in full compliance today, supplying water to approximately 169,685 people without any active enforcement proceedings.

Data: EPA SDWIS

B ยท 77
Avg Safety Score
169,685
People Served
13
ZIP Codes Served
1
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
Zone 3
Radon Risk ยท Low
1
Contaminants Flagged
$352K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Union County Water System Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade B

Service Area Demographics

$97,117
Median Household Income
465,551
Service Area Population
21%
Disadvantaged Population
35th
Poverty Percentile
35th
Energy Burden Percentile
35%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Union County Water System serves a community with a median household income of $97,117 and an estimated 465,551 residents across its service area.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Union County Water System's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
21th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
45th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

34 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
34 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 50% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Union County Water System compares to EPA limits

What This Means For You

Surface Water Treatment Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 58 detections recorded. 18 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).

State limits: HFPO-DA: 0.01 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in North Carolina

City of Asheville
157,431 people
C 3 violations
A 5 violations
Davidson Water Inc.
154,307 people
A 2 violations
3 violations
Cfpua-wilmington
212,227 people
A 3 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment Lead Pipe Replacement Radon Mitigation Water Filtration
Flood Insurance $969
PFAS Treatment $577
Lead Pipe Replacement $277
Radon Mitigation $185
Water Filtration $185
Total Estimated Cost $2,192

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.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$2,665
10 years
$5,330
20 years
$10,660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,192 (one-time) vs. $5,330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Union County Water System (EPA ID: NC0190413) is a community water system in North Carolina that serves approximately 169,685 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 13 ZIP codes across 9 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (77/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 5 of 13 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No current noncompliance in the accepted 2026Q2 snapshot. The 1 record in the 2021-2026 window are classified as resolved or archived, not current.

Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 1 resolved, 0 archived, 0 addressed, and 0 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
July 1, 2024 Surface Water Treatment Rule Non-health-based Resolved

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Failure 1 No

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0 mg/L No N/A

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

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 $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking โ€” this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by NC or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Union County Water System (NC0190413) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Union County Water System water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows no current noncompliance for Union County Water System; its 1 accepted 2021-2026 record are resolved or archived. Historical compliance status does not establish conditions at a specific tap.

How many people does Union County Water System serve?

Union County Water System serves approximately 169,685 people across 13 ZIP codes in North Carolina.

Where does Union County Water System get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.

Samples collected
232
Detections
19
Latest sample
10/4/2023
Highest analyte
PFPeA: 10 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFPeA 10 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFHxA 7.4 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFBA 6.5 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFOS 4.9 ppt 10 ppt Above 2029 federal MCL
PFOA 4.2 ppt 10 ppt Above 2029 federal MCL

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) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Union County Water System safe to drink?
Union County Water System earns a B safety grade with 1 violation in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
What contaminants are in Union County Water System's water?
Detected contaminants include Surface Water Treatment Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 1 contaminant above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does Union County Water System serve?
Union County Water System serves approximately 169,685 people with drinking water across 13 ZIP codes.
What is Union County Water System's water source?
Union County Water System draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of Union County Water System's service area?
The Union County Water System service area has a median household income of $97,117. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Union County Water System get its water?
Union County Water System's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Union County Water System (NC): 1 EPA Violation. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/nc0190413/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-nc0190413,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Union County Water System (NC): 1 EPA Violation}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/nc0190413/}
}

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

Union County Water System (EPA ID: NC0190413) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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