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Community Water System · PWS NC0410045

Brunswick County Water System

Bolivia, North Carolina 28422 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 142,227 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

142,227
People served
168
EPA violations
39
Health-based
9 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 168 drinking-water violations at Brunswick County Water System, 23% of them health-based - above the North Carolina per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 9 PFAS compounds.

168
Total EPA violations on record
23%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
142,227
People served by this system
9
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Brunswick County Water System

Brunswick County Water System is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 142,227 residents in Bolivia, North Carolina (Brunswick County) through 63,212 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 168 total violations for this system , of which 39 (23%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 119 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 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, recorded in 17 violations (TT, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 9 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 12.4 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%).

Brunswick County Water System's 168 violations sit above 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

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

Population Served
142,227
Total Violations
168
Health-Based Violations
39
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
63,212
County
Brunswick
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
8
Monitoring Violations
119
Treatment Tech Violations
31

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 17 2016
CARBON, TOTAL MR 12 2024
Chlorite MR 11 2019
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 10 2016
Lead and Copper Rule TT 10 2003
Chlorite MCL 8 2014
Endrin MR 7 1990
2,4-D MR 7 1990
2,4,5-TP MR 7 1990
Toxaphene MR 7 1990
BHC-GAMMA MR 7 1990
Methoxychlor MR 7 1990
Coliform (TCR) MR 5 2013
TTHM MR 5 2024
Chloramine MR 5 2013
Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 4 1996
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 4 2001
Chlorine dioxide MR 4 2019
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 4 2024
Fluoride MR 3 1988
Mercury MR 3 1988
Selenium MR 3 1988
Cadmium MR 3 1988
Chromium MR 3 1988
Nitrate MR 2 1988
Barium MR 2 1988
Arsenic MR 2 1988

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 26 of 174 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
6:2 FTS 8/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/3/2023 5.20 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFHpA 8/3/2023 3.70 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFHxS 8/3/2023 4.10 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFNA 8/3/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 8/3/2023 12.40 ppt 4.00 ppt Detected
PFOA 8/3/2023 7.70 ppt 4.00 ppt Detected
PFDA 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/3/2023 7.50 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFUnA 8/3/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/3/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 8/3/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 8/3/2023 7.10 ppt 5.00 ppt Detected
4:2 FTS 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/3/2023 8.30 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFEESA 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/3/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/3/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/3/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/3/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/3/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 8/3/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/3/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 8/3/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/3/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 8/3/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/3/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 8/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/3/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/3/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/3/2023 <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 Brunswick County Water System.

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 NC0410045 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 Brunswick County Water System 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
2024 CARBON, TOTAL MR 12 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 2920
2024 TTHM MR 5 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 2950
2024 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 4 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 2456
2019 Chlorite MR 11 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 1009
2019 Chlorine dioxide MR 4 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 1008
2016 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 17 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 0300
2016 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 10 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 0300
2014 Chlorite MCL 8 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 1009
2013 Coliform (TCR) MR 5 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 3100
2013 Chloramine MR 5 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 1006
2003 Lead and Copper Rule TT 10 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 5000
2001 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 4 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 7000
1996 Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 4 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 0200
1990 Endrin MR 7 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 2005
1990 2,4-D MR 7 SDWIS / NC0410045 / 2105

How Brunswick County Water System Compares

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

Metric Brunswick County Water System North Carolina avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 168 104.4 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 39 7.7 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 9 compounds 60.6% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 142,227 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 Brunswick County Water System water safe to drink? ▼
Brunswick County Water System (PWS ID: NC0410045) has 168 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 9 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 142,227 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Brunswick County Water System serve? ▼
Brunswick County Water System serves 142,227 people in Bolivia, North Carolina. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 63,212 service connections.
What type of violations does Brunswick County Water System have? ▼
Brunswick County Water System has 168 total violations: 39 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 119 monitoring/reporting violations, and 31 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Brunswick County Water System water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 9 PFAS compounds in Brunswick County Water System's water supply: PFBS, PFHpA, PFHxS, PFOS, PFOA, and others. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Brunswick County Water System use? ▼
Brunswick County Water System 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.