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Community Water System · PWS GA2170001

Covington

Covington, Georgia 30015 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 14,391 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

14,391
People served
5
EPA violations
0
Health-based
3 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 5 drinking-water violations at Covington - below the Georgia per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 3 PFAS compounds.

5
Total EPA violations on record
0%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
14,391
People served by this system
3
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Covington

Covington is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 14,391 residents in Covington, Georgia (Newton County) through 9,224 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 5 total violations for this system , of which 0 (0%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 1 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2014.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Consumer Confidence Rule, recorded in 4 violations (Other). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 3 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 15.3 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Georgia, EPA tracks 2,382 public water systems serving 10,694,477 people, with 108,966 cumulative violations and 12,032 health-based violations on record. About 92% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 45.7 violations. Statewide, 102 of 254 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (40.2%).

Covington's 5 violations sit below the Georgia average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

PFAS Detected

3 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Population Served
14,391
Total Violations
5
Health-Based Violations
0
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
9,224
County
Newton
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
0
Monitoring Violations
1
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 4 2014
Coliform (TCR) MR 1 1994

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 8 of 348 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFEESA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/21/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/21/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/21/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/21/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/21/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 8/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 8/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 8/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 8/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/21/2023 11.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFUnA 8/21/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/21/2023 15.30 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
4:2 FTS 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/21/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/21/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/21/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/21/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 8/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 8/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 8/21/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for Covington.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID GA2170001 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Georgia Drinking Water Authority

Georgia EPD, Drinking Water Program is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects Covington under EPA-delegated authority.

Open GA regulator portal

Source: Georgia EPD, Drinking Water Program

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2014 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 4 SDWIS / GA2170001 / 7000
1994 Coliform (TCR) MR 1 SDWIS / GA2170001 / 3100

How Covington Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric Covington Georgia avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 5 45.7 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 0 5.1 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 3 compounds 40.2% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 14,391 4,490 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 2,382 regulated public water systems in Georgia.

Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Covington water safe to drink?
Covington (PWS ID: GA2170001) has 5 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 3 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 14,391 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Covington serve?
Covington serves 14,391 people in Covington, Georgia. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 9,224 service connections.
What type of violations does Covington have?
Covington has 5 total violations: 0 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 1 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Covington water?
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 3 PFAS compounds in Covington's water supply: PFHxA, PFPeA, PFBA. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Covington use?
Covington uses Surface Water as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.
Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.