Public water system record
Orange-Alamance Water System
Serves an area of Orange County and Alamance County, NC that includes Efland and Woodlawn · 9,223 people served
Federal records show 5 health-based violations and 49 monitoring/reporting issues for Orange-Alamance Water System in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a CARBON, TOTAL violation that EPA lists as archived, not resolved.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 5
- Resolved
- 3
- Unresolved
- 0
- Archived by EPA
- 2
- Any acute record
- No
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 49
Key facts
- Orange-Alamance Water System draws water from 4 wells and 1 surface water intake.
- Highest measured level in the last 10 years: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), 0.085 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit), 2017.
- Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by North Carolina, December 2025.
- Record on file since 1999, with 6 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 0 lead and 2,991 unknown out of 3,639 service lines.
Check whether Orange-Alamance Water System serves your address
Health-based violations
Since October 2016Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.
| Contaminant | Rule family | Start date | Status | Acute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CARBON, TOTAL
Treatment technique failure
|
210 | Oct 1, 2025 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
No |
|
CARBON, TOTAL
Treatment technique failure
|
210 | Jul 1, 2025 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.084 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
|
220 | Apr 1, 2017 | Resolved | No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.085 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
|
220 | Jan 1, 2017 | Resolved | No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.081 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (at or just above the limit)
|
220 | Oct 1, 2016 | Resolved | No |
Monitoring and reporting issues
Since October 2016Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.
| Issue | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2025 |
Active
Enforcement action in place
|
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule
RPT
|
Sep 11, 2025 | Resolved |
|
CARBON, TOTAL
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Consumer Confidence Rule
OTHER
|
Jul 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Nitrate
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Selenium
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Thallium, Total
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Beryllium, Total
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Antimony, Total
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Nickel
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Mercury
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Fluoride
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
CYANIDE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Chromium (total)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Cadmium
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Barium
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Arsenic
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Styrene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Ethylbenzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Toluene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Benzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
CHLOROBENZENE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Tetrachloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Trichloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
1,2-Dichloropropane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Carbon tetrachloride
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
1,2-Dichloroethane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
1,1-Dichloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Vinyl chloride
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
p-Dichlorobenzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
o-Dichlorobenzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
DICHLOROMETHANE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Xylenes, Total
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Consumer Confidence Rule
OTHER
|
Jul 1, 2023 | Resolved |
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule
RPT
|
Apr 1, 2023 | Resolved |
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule
RPT
|
Mar 11, 2023 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2023 | Resolved |
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule
Monitoring violation
|
Aug 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Chloramine
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Consumer Confidence Rule
OTHER
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Atrazine
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2017 | Resolved |
Full record since 1999
EPA's records for Orange-Alamance Water System go back to 1999. Before October 19, 2016 they list 6 health-based violations (6 resolved) and 64 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1 | 2 |
| 2000s | 3 | 62 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 2 | 0 |
| October 19, 2016 to 2019 | 2 | 3 |
| 2020s | 2 | 46 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), began October 2016, Resolved.
Show all 6 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.081 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (at or just above the limit)
|
Oct 1, 2016 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.087 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
|
Jul 1, 2016 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.09 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
|
Jan 1, 2009 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.09 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
|
Oct 1, 2008 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.089 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
|
Jul 1, 2008 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Aug 1, 1999 | Resolved |
Enforcement actions
North Carolina regulators took 18 formal enforcement actions against Orange-Alamance Water System between 2008 and 2025, filed as 21 records in EPA's data. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in December 2025.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 5, 2025 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Lead and Copper Rule |
| Nov 12, 2025 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations (2 health-based): CARBON, TOTAL |
| Apr 4, 2025 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Nitrate |
| Feb 14, 2025 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 33 violations: Barium, Chromium (total), Nickel, Beryllium, Total, CYANIDE |
| Jan 30, 2025 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: CARBON, TOTAL |
| Dec 17, 2024 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) |
| Jun 29, 2023 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Revised Total Coliform Rule |
| Jun 21, 2023 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Revised Total Coliform Rule |
| Mar 8, 2023 | North Carolina | Compliance order with a penalty | 1 violation: Revised Total Coliform Rule |
| Mar 2, 2023 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Lead and Copper Rule |
| Oct 14, 2022 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations: Chloramine, Revised Total Coliform Rule |
| Jun 9, 2020 | North Carolina | Compliance order with a penalty | 1 violation: Atrazine |
| Apr 15, 2020 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Lead and Copper Rule |
| Jan 31, 2020 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Atrazine |
| Oct 21, 2016 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 5 violations (4 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Feb 19, 2009 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 3 violations (3 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Nov 14, 2008 | North Carolina | Compliance order with a penalty | 1 violation: Total Coliform |
| Oct 22, 2008 | North Carolina | Compliance order with a penalty | 40 violations: Combined Radium (-226 and -228), Radium-226, Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U, Radium-228, Combined Uranium |
What the violations mean
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
3 incidentsDisinfection byproduct levels exceeded the federal limit
Long-term TTHM exposure may increase bladder cancer risk
CARBON, TOTAL
2 incidentsThe system did not complete a treatment step or action that federal rules require for CARBON, TOTAL (a treatment technique violation).
The utility had to notify customers about each of these violations.
Where the water comes from
Orange-Alamance Water System draws water from 4 wells and 1 surface water intake. It also buys water from Town of Haw River. It also has emergency connections to City of Graham, Town of Hillsborough, Town of Swepsonville and City of Mebane. 2 other public water systems have emergency connections to Orange-Alamance Water System.
Buys water from
- Town of Haw River Haw River, NC
Emergency or part-time connections to
- City of Graham Graham, NC
- Town of Hillsborough Hillsborough, NC
- Town of Swepsonville Graham, NC
- City of Mebane Mebane, NC
Annual water quality report
Orange-Alamance Water System must give its customers an annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) by July 1, with the levels its tests found in the previous year.
Where the state allows it, systems serving fewer than 10,000 people may publish the report in a local newspaper or news site instead of mailing it, and must provide a copy on request.
Find a posted report with EPA's Consumer Confidence Report search
Testing your own water
To test the water at your tap, or a private well this record does not cover, use a laboratory certified for drinking water by North Carolina.
Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells