Brunswick County Water System
EPA ID: NC0410045 · 142,227 people served · 9 ZIP codes
While 8 violations did appear in Brunswick County Water System's five-year monitoring record, none remain unresolved — the utility has returned to full compliance and continues to serve approximately 142,227 residents under all current EPA drinking water standards.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Brunswick County Water System Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Brunswick County Water System serves a community with a median household income of $77,380 and an estimated 133,440 residents across its service area.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Brunswick 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.
About 1% of homes in Brunswick 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 Brunswick County Water System compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
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 4 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Surface Water Treatment Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Consumer Confidence Report 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. 81 detections recorded. 18 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) was detected in this water system. granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →Comparable Water Systems
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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
Brunswick County Water System (EPA ID: NC0410045) is a community water system in North Carolina that serves approximately 142,227 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 9 ZIP codes across 9 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (62/100)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| March 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Health-based | Resolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2024 | Chlorite | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Revised Total Coliform 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 | 4 | Yes |
| Chlorite | Disinfection Byproducts | 1 | No |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 1 | No |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 1 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 1 | No |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28470 | 0.022 mg/L | Yes | N/A |
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.
- 28422 — Bolivia
- 28451 — Leland
- 28461 — Southport
- 28462 — Supply
- 28467 — Calabash
- 28468 — Sunset Beach
- 28469 — Ocean Isle Beach
- 28470 — Shallotte
- 28479 — Winnabow
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Brunswick County Water System (NC0410045) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brunswick County Water System water safe to drink?
Brunswick County Water System has recorded 2 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 Brunswick County Water System serve?
Brunswick County Water System serves approximately 142,227 people across 9 ZIP codes in North Carolina.
Where does Brunswick County Water System 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 Brunswick County Public Utilities 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: Brunswick County Public Utilities Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
The NC SWAP conducted assessments for all drinking water sources. Brunswick County's Cape Fear River rated Moderate susceptibility; Well #5, 6A rated Higher; Well #1,2,15,16,17 rated Lower; Well #3,8,11,12,12A,18,19 rated Moderate. Report date September 10, 2020.
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 Brunswick County Public Utilities 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: Above Current MCL
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). One or more PFAS compounds were measured above 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 →
As of October 2024, BCPU was designated a NON-LEAD system; physical inspections found no lead lines and it is statistically unlikely any unverified line is lead material. Inventory is publicly available at https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/589/Lead-Copper.
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.
Brunswick County Public Utilities
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:
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.
Aesthetic water quality
These measurements describe the look, taste, and feel of the water this utility delivers. They are not contaminant violations — they sit alongside federal Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs) which the EPA publishes as non-enforceable guidance.
Aesthetic measurements from Brunswick County Public Utilities Consumer Confidence Report.
Aesthetic measurements are reported by the utility from its annual sampling. EPA Secondary MCLs are advisory thresholds — values outside them indicate aesthetic concerns such as taste or appearance, not health violations. Federal contaminant testing is shown in the sections above.
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.
- BCPU is constructing Low-pressure Reverse Osmosis (LPRO) addition at Northwest WTP to remove GenX and PFAS contaminants, expanding capacity from 24 MGD to 48 MGD.
- Brunswick County designated NON-LEAD system as of October 2024 after completing service line inventory with no lead lines found.
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
Brunswick County Water System (EPA ID: NC0410045) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.