PlainWater
States → Louisiana

Community Water System · PWS LA1005035

Parish Utilities of Ascension

Donaldsonville, Louisiana 70346 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 9,732 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

9,732
People served
231
EPA violations
164
Health-based
3 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 231 drinking-water violations at Parish Utilities of Ascension, 71% of them health-based - above the Louisiana per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 3 PFAS compounds.

231
Total EPA violations on record
71%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
9,732
People served by this system
3
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Parish Utilities of Ascension

Parish Utilities of Ascension is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 9,732 residents in Donaldsonville, Louisiana (Ascension Parish County) through 3,190 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 231 total violations for this system , of which 164 (71%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 48 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2024.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is TTHM, recorded in 58 violations (MCL, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 3 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 6.7 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Louisiana, EPA tracks 1,234 public water systems serving 5,316,532 people, with 115,060 cumulative violations and 62,164 health-based violations on record. About 93% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 93.2 violations. Statewide, 218 of 265 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (82.3%).

Parish Utilities of Ascension's 231 violations sit above the Louisiana 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
9,732
Total Violations
231
Health-Based Violations
164
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
3,190
County
Ascension Parish
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
97
Monitoring Violations
48
Treatment Tech Violations
40

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
TTHM MCL 58 2024
Chlorite MR 36 2016
Coliform (TCR) MCL 28 2014
Chlorine dioxide MRDL 27 2016
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 23 2018
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 10 2017
CARBON, TOTAL TT 8 2011
Chlorite MCL 7 2012
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 5 2016
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL 4 2003
TTHM MR 4 2014
Chloramine MR 4 2011
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 4 2014
Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 3 1996
Groundwater Rule TT 1 2016

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 6 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
NFDHA 8/30/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/30/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 8/30/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 8/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 8/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/30/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 8/30/2023 4.50 ppt 4.00 ppt Detected
PFNA 8/30/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/30/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 8/30/2023 6.70 ppt 5.00 ppt Detected
PFPeS 8/30/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/30/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 8/30/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 8/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/30/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/30/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/1/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/1/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/1/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/1/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 6/20/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 6/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 6/20/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 6/20/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 4/5/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 4/5/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 4/5/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 4/5/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 4/5/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 4/5/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 4/5/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 4/5/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 4/5/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 4/5/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 4/5/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 4/5/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 4/5/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 4/5/2023 6.30 ppt 5.00 ppt Detected
6:2 FTS 4/5/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 4/5/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 4/5/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 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 Parish Utilities of Ascension.

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 LA1005035 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Louisiana Drinking Water Authority

Louisiana'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 LA 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
2024 TTHM MCL 58 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 2950
2018 Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 23 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 0800
2017 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 10 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 7000
2016 Chlorite MR 36 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 1009
2016 Chlorine dioxide MRDL 27 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 1008
2016 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 5 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 0300
2016 Groundwater Rule TT 1 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 0700
2014 Coliform (TCR) MCL 28 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 3100
2014 TTHM MR 4 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 2950
2014 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 4 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 2456
2012 Chlorite MCL 7 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 1009
2011 CARBON, TOTAL TT 8 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 2920
2011 Chloramine MR 4 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 1006
2003 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL 4 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 2456
1996 Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 3 SDWIS / LA1005035 / 0200

How Parish Utilities of Ascension Compares

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

Metric Parish Utilities of Ascension Louisiana avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 231 93.2 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 164 50.4 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 3 compounds 82.3% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 9,732 4,308 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 1,234 regulated public water systems in Louisiana.

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 Parish Utilities of Ascension water safe to drink? ▼
Parish Utilities of Ascension (PWS ID: LA1005035) has 231 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 3 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 9,732 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Parish Utilities of Ascension serve? ▼
Parish Utilities of Ascension serves 9,732 people in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 3,190 service connections.
What type of violations does Parish Utilities of Ascension have? ▼
Parish Utilities of Ascension has 231 total violations: 164 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 48 monitoring/reporting violations, and 40 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Parish Utilities of Ascension water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 3 PFAS compounds in Parish Utilities of Ascension's water supply: PFOS, PFBA, PFBS. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Parish Utilities of Ascension use? ▼
Parish Utilities of Ascension 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.