Orange Water & Sewer Authority
EPA ID: NC0368010 · 86,300 people served · 7 ZIP codes
Compliance tracking for Orange Water & Sewer Authority shows 19 pending violations logged in the EPA system — the supplier delivers water to approximately 86,300 residents while those findings remain open.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 8 (2022) to 14 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Orange Water & Sewer Authority Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade B
Service Area Demographics
The Orange Water & Sewer Authority serves a community with a median household income of $97,478 and an estimated 200,810 residents across its service area. Approximately 46% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Orange Water & Sewer Authority'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.
About 1% of homes in Orange 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
Detected Contaminants
How Orange Water & Sewer Authority compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Lead at 3 mg/L (action level) exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.015 mg/L (action level). Brain damage in children, kidney & blood pressure in adults. Consider reverse osmosis filtration.
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) at 4 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.08 mg/L. Bladder & rectal cancer risk; reproductive concerns. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.06 mg/L. Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Stage 2 DBP Rule at 8 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Surface Water Treatment Rule at 8 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. 18 detections recorded. 12 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).
Lead was detected in this water system. reverse osmosis filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →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
Orange Water & Sewer Authority (EPA ID: NC0368010) is a community water system in North Carolina that serves approximately 86,300 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 7 ZIP codes across 4 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: B (81/100)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Combined Radium | Monitoring | Resolved |
| March 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| March 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| February 14, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| February 6, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| February 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| February 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2025 | Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| December 5, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Health-based | Unresolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Lead | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2023 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | 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 | 8 | Yes |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 8 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 7 | No |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 6 | Yes |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 6 | No |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | No |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 4 | No |
| Lead | Inorganic | 3 | No |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 3 | No |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 1 | No |
| Combined Radium | Radionuclides | 1 | No |
| Radium-228 | Radionuclides | 1 | No |
Health Risk Details
Gross Alpha Particle Activity (EPA limit: pCi/L)
Increased cancer risk from radioactive particles At-risk groups: long-term residents in areas with uranium or radium-rich geology, people on private wells in western US.
Removal methods: reverse osmosis, ion exchange (anion exchange for radium), lime softening. Find the right filter →
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this 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: 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.
- 27278 — Hillsborough
- 27510 — Carrboro
- 27514 — Chapel Hill
- 27516 — Chapel Hill
- 27517 — Chapel Hill
- 27599 — Chapel Hill
- 27707 — Durham
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Orange Water & Sewer Authority (NC0368010) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Orange Water & Sewer Authority water safe to drink?
Orange Water & Sewer Authority has recorded 10 health-based violations 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 Orange Water & Sewer Authority serve?
Orange Water & Sewer Authority serves approximately 86,300 people across 7 ZIP codes in North Carolina.
Where does Orange Water & Sewer Authority get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
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 Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) 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: Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
Cane Creek Reservoir rated Moderate susceptibility and University Lake rated Moderate susceptibility per SWAP assessment dated September 2020. Susceptibility ratings do not indicate poor water quality, but indicate potential to become contaminated by potential contaminant sources in the assessment area.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.
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.
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 →
Community-wide service line inventory published October 2024 per EPA Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. No lead service lines found. 94 galvanized requiring replacement (GRR) lines identified; customers with GRR lines notified and replacement plans underway. All known lead goosenecks removed by OWASA in the 1990s.
Lead Service Line Replacement Tracker
This water utility's lead service line (LSL) replacement program is tracked from public Consumer Confidence Report filings. Email signup notifies subscribers when the utility files an updated replacement plan or progress milestone.
Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA)
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. LSL replacement-program data is sourced from public CCR filings published by the utility. Subscription notifications are based on automated parsing of subsequent CCR releases.
Learn more about Lead and Copper Rule replacement requirements →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
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.
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.
- PFOA detected at average 4.9 ppt (range 3.3–7.4 ppt), exceeding the 2029 EPA MCL of 4 ppt; PFAS detected in Cane Creek Reservoir source water and finished water.
- OWASA completing GAC and ion exchange pilot testing for PFAS removal; GAC identified as preferred long-term solution; construction planned in coming years.
- Community-wide service line inventory completed 2023–24: 94 galvanized requiring replacement (GRR) lines found, no lead service lines confirmed.
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.
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
Orange Water & Sewer Authority (EPA ID: NC0368010) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.