PlainWater
States → North Carolina

Community Water System · PWS NC0181035

Broad River Water Authority

Rutherfordton, North Carolina 28139 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 18,242 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

18,242
People served
31
EPA violations
9
Health-based
1 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 31 drinking-water violations at Broad River Water Authority, 29% of them health-based - below the North Carolina per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 1 PFAS compound.

31
Total EPA violations on record
29%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
18,242
People served by this system
1
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Broad River Water Authority

Broad River Water Authority is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 18,242 residents in Rutherfordton, North Carolina (Rutherford County) through 7,182 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 31 total violations for this system , of which 9 (29%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 21 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2009.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is CARBON, TOTAL, recorded in 9 violations (TT, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 1 PFAS compound was detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 5.1 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across North Carolina, EPA tracks 5,020 public water systems serving 9,877,724 people, with 524,053 cumulative violations and 38,492 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 104.4 violations. Statewide, 174 of 287 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (60.6%).

Broad River Water Authority's 31 violations sit below the North Carolina 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
18,242
Total Violations
31
Health-Based Violations
9
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
7,182
County
Rutherford
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
0
Monitoring Violations
21
Treatment Tech Violations
9

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
CARBON, TOTAL TT 9 2009
Arsenic MR 7 1990
Nitrate MR 2 1990
Cadmium MR 2 1990
Chromium MR 2 1990
Fluoride MR 2 1990
Selenium MR 2 1990
Barium MR 2 1990
Mercury MR 2 1990
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 1 1999

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 1 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFOS 8/16/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 8/16/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/16/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 8/16/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/16/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 8/16/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/16/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/16/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/16/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/16/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 8/16/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/16/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/16/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 8/16/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 8/16/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/16/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/16/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/16/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/16/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/16/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/16/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/16/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/16/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/16/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/16/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/16/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/16/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/16/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 8/16/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 5/1/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 5/1/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 5/1/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 5/1/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 5/1/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 5/1/2023 5.10 ppt 5.00 ppt Detected
PFPeA 5/1/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 5/1/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 5/1/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 5/1/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 5/1/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 5/1/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 5/1/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 5/1/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 5/1/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 5/1/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 5/1/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 5/1/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 5/1/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 5/1/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 5/1/2023 <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 Broad River Water Authority.

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 NC0181035 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

North Carolina Drinking Water Authority

North Carolina DEQ, Public Water Supply Section is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects Broad River Water Authority under EPA-delegated authority.

Open NC regulator portal

Source: North Carolina DEQ, Public Water Supply Section

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
2009 CARBON, TOTAL TT 9 SDWIS / NC0181035 / 2920
1999 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 1 SDWIS / NC0181035 / 7000
1990 Arsenic MR 7 SDWIS / NC0181035 / 1005
1990 Nitrate MR 2 SDWIS / NC0181035 / 1040
1990 Cadmium MR 2 SDWIS / NC0181035 / 1015
1990 Chromium MR 2 SDWIS / NC0181035 / 1020
1990 Fluoride MR 2 SDWIS / NC0181035 / 1025
1990 Selenium MR 2 SDWIS / NC0181035 / 1045
1990 Barium MR 2 SDWIS / NC0181035 / 1010
1990 Mercury MR 2 SDWIS / NC0181035 / 1035

How Broad River Water Authority Compares

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

Metric Broad River Water Authority North Carolina avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 31 104.4 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 9 7.7 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 1 compound 60.6% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 18,242 1,968 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 5,020 regulated public water systems in North Carolina.

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 Broad River Water Authority water safe to drink? ▼
Broad River Water Authority (PWS ID: NC0181035) has 31 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 1 PFAS compound found. This system serves 18,242 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Broad River Water Authority serve? ▼
Broad River Water Authority serves 18,242 people in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 7,182 service connections.
What type of violations does Broad River Water Authority have? ▼
Broad River Water Authority has 31 total violations: 9 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 21 monitoring/reporting violations, and 9 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Broad River Water Authority water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 1 PFAS compound in Broad River Water Authority's water supply: PFBA. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Broad River Water Authority use? ▼
Broad River Water Authority 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.