Hound Ears Water System
EPA ID: NC0195112 · 975 people served · 3 ZIP codes
Five years of EPA monitoring have produced no violations for Hound Ears Water System — the supplier serving 975 residents has kept every contaminant level within federal limits, a result that places it among the top-performing utilities for systems with a service population of comparable size.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Hound Ears Water System Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary
Service Area Demographics
The Hound Ears Water System serves a community with a median household income of $59,499 and an estimated 38,975 residents across its service area. Approximately 48% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Hound Ears Water System'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 0% of homes in Watauga County, North Carolina rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Infrastructure Risk
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 1 detection recorded.
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in North Carolina
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
Hound Ears Water System (EPA ID: NC0195112) is a community water system in North Carolina that serves approximately 975 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 3 ZIP codes across 2 communities.
Violation History
Lead & Copper
No Lead and Copper Rule sampling data available for this water system.
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: 2 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 1 additional ZIP 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 Hound Ears Water System (NC0195112) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hound Ears Water System water safe to drink?
Based on EPA records, Hound Ears Water System has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.
How many people does Hound Ears Water System serve?
Hound Ears Water System serves approximately 975 people across 3 ZIP codes in North Carolina.
Where does Hound Ears Water System get its water?
The primary water source is groundwater.
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.