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Community Water System · PWS KY0160052

Butler County Water System Inc

Bowling Green, Kentucky 42102 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 14,256 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

14,256
People served
295
EPA violations
20
Health-based
1 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 295 drinking-water violations at Butler County Water System Inc, 7% of them health-based - above the Kentucky per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 1 PFAS compound.

295
Total EPA violations on record
7%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
14,256
People served by this system
1
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Butler County Water System Inc

Butler County Water System Inc is a private-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 14,256 residents in Bowling Green, Kentucky (Butler County) through 5,044 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 295 total violations for this system , of which 20 (7%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 270 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2019.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Nitrate, recorded in 24 violations (MR). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 1 PFAS compound was detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 5.6 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Kentucky, EPA tracks 424 public water systems serving 4,570,541 people, with 80,482 cumulative violations and 12,554 health-based violations on record. About 99% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 189.8 violations. Statewide, 107 of 231 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (46.3%).

Butler County Water System Inc's 295 violations sit above the Kentucky 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

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

Population Served
14,256
Total Violations
295
Health-Based Violations
20
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Private
Connections
5,044
County
Butler
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
20
Monitoring Violations
270
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Nitrate MR 24 1994
Coliform (TCR) MCL 16 2008
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 8 2007
Xylenes, Total MR 8 2007
o-Dichlorobenzene MR 8 2007
Vinyl chloride MR 8 2007
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 8 2007
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 8 2007
Carbon tetrachloride MR 8 2007
Trichloroethylene MR 8 2007
1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 8 2007
CHLOROBENZENE MR 8 2007
Benzene MR 8 2007
Toluene MR 8 2007
Ethylbenzene MR 8 2007
Styrene MR 8 2007
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 8 2007
DICHLOROMETHANE MR 8 2007
Tetrachloroethylene MR 8 2007
1,2-Dichloropropane MR 8 2007
1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 8 2007
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 8 2007
p-Dichlorobenzene MR 8 2007
Chromium MR 7 1999
Mercury MR 7 1999
Barium MR 7 1999
Selenium MR 7 1999
Cadmium MR 7 1999
TTHM MCL 4 2001
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 4 2016

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 3 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFMBA 9/27/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 9/27/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 9/27/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 9/27/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 9/27/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 9/27/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 9/27/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 9/27/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 9/27/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 9/27/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 9/27/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 9/27/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 9/27/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/27/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/27/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 9/27/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/27/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 9/27/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 9/27/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/27/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/27/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 9/27/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 9/27/2023 5.60 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFEESA 9/27/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 9/27/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 9/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 9/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 9/25/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 9/25/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 9/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 9/25/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 9/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 9/25/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 9/25/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 9/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 9/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 9/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 9/25/2023 5.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
8:2 FTS 9/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 9/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 9/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 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 Butler County Water System Inc.

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 KY0160052 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Kentucky Drinking Water Authority

Kentucky's primacy agency administers the Safe Drinking Water Act locally. Search EPA SDWIS for the current state contact, or use the state's public health or environment department portal.

Find KY regulator via EPA SDWIS

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
2019 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 4 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 2456
2019 TTHM MR 4 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 2950
2016 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 4 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 7000
2016 Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 4 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 0800
2008 Coliform (TCR) MCL 16 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 3100
2007 cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 8 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 2380
2007 Xylenes, Total MR 8 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 2955
2007 o-Dichlorobenzene MR 8 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 2968
2007 Vinyl chloride MR 8 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 2976
2007 trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 8 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 2979
2007 1,2-Dichloroethane MR 8 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 2980
2007 Carbon tetrachloride MR 8 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 2982
2007 Trichloroethylene MR 8 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 2984
2007 1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 8 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 2985
2007 CHLOROBENZENE MR 8 SDWIS / KY0160052 / 2989

How Butler County Water System Inc Compares

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

Metric Butler County Water System Inc Kentucky avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 295 189.8 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 20 29.6 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 1 compound 46.3% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 14,256 10,780 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 424 regulated public water systems in Kentucky.

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 Butler County Water System Inc water safe to drink? ▼
Butler County Water System Inc (PWS ID: KY0160052) has 295 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 1 PFAS compound found. This system serves 14,256 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Butler County Water System Inc serve? ▼
Butler County Water System Inc serves 14,256 people in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It is a Private-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 5,044 service connections.
What type of violations does Butler County Water System Inc have? ▼
Butler County Water System Inc has 295 total violations: 20 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 270 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Butler County Water System Inc water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 1 PFAS compound in Butler County Water System Inc's water supply: PFPeA. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Butler County Water System Inc use? ▼
Butler County Water System Inc 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.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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.