Public water system record
Pender County Utilities
Serves an area of Pender County, NC that includes Burgaw and Rocky Point · 31,600 people served
Federal records show 15 health-based violations and 9 monitoring/reporting issues for Pender County Utilities in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) violation that EPA lists as archived, not resolved.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 15
- Resolved
- 12
- Unresolved
- 0
- Archived by EPA
- 3
- Any acute record
- Yes
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 9
Key facts
- Pender County Utilities draws water from 5 wells and 1 surface water intake.
- Highest measured level in the last 10 years: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), 0.099 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.2 times the limit), 2024.
- Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by North Carolina, June 2025.
- Record on file since 2004, with 4 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 0 lead and 0 unknown out of 11,300 service lines.
Check whether Pender County Utilities 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.085 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
|
220 | Oct 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 0.088 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
|
220 | 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 0.093 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.2 times the limit)
|
220 | Apr 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 0.085 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
|
220 | Jul 1, 2024 | Resolved | No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.091 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
|
220 | Apr 1, 2024 | Resolved | No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.099 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.2 times the limit)
|
220 | Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved | No |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.061 mg/L, federal limit 0.06 mg/L (at or just above the limit)
|
220 | Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved | No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.094 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.2 times the limit)
|
220 | Oct 1, 2023 | Resolved | No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.088 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
|
220 | Jul 1, 2023 | Resolved | No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.087 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
|
220 | Apr 1, 2023 | Resolved | No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.082 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (at or just above the limit)
|
220 | Jan 1, 2023 | Resolved | No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.082 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (at or just above the limit)
|
220 | Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved | No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.082 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (at or just above the limit)
|
220 | Jul 1, 2022 | Resolved | No |
|
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
120 | May 1, 2017 | Resolved | Yes |
|
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
120 | Oct 1, 2016 | Resolved | Yes |
Monitoring and reporting issues
Since October 2016Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.
| Issue | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Public Notice
OTHER
|
Jul 28, 2025 | Resolved |
|
Public Notice
OTHER
|
Apr 25, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Dalapon
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Resolved |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2021 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2021 | Resolved |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Chlorine
Monitoring and reporting
|
Apr 1, 2017 | Resolved |
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule
Monitoring violation
|
Apr 1, 2017 | Resolved |
Full record since 2004
EPA's records for Pender County Utilities go back to 2004. Before October 19, 2016 they list 4 health-based violations (4 resolved) and 11 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2 | 9 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 2 | 2 |
| October 19, 2016 to 2019 | 1 | 2 |
| 2020s | 13 | 7 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (acute), began October 2016, Resolved.
Show all 4 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (acute)
Treatment technique failure
|
Oct 1, 2016 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.082 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (at or just above the limit)
|
Jul 1, 2015 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Apr 1, 2009 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Dec 2, 2008 | Resolved |
Enforcement actions
North Carolina regulators took 13 formal enforcement actions against Pender County Utilities between 2010 and 2025, filed as 14 records in EPA's data. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in June 2025.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 27, 2025 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 3 violations (3 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Nov 6, 2024 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Dalapon |
| Mar 25, 2024 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) |
| Oct 13, 2022 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 9 violations (9 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Oct 20, 2021 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) |
| Jan 22, 2021 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations: Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Nov 17, 2017 | North Carolina | Compliance order with a penalty | 1 violation: Revised Total Coliform Rule |
| Jun 20, 2017 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule |
| May 31, 2017 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations: Chlorine, Revised Total Coliform Rule |
| Nov 3, 2015 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Jan 4, 2013 | North Carolina | Compliance order with a penalty | 2 violations: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) |
| Nov 21, 2012 | North Carolina | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) |
| Mar 25, 2010 | North Carolina | Compliance order with a penalty | 2 violations: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) |
What the violations mean
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
12 incidentsDisinfection byproduct levels exceeded the federal limit
Long-term TTHM exposure may increase bladder cancer risk
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
2 incidentsThe system did not meet a filtration or treatment requirement for surface water
Inadequate treatment of surface water can let pathogens such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia through
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
1 incidentHaloacetic acid byproducts exceeded the federal limit
Long-term exposure to HAAs may increase cancer risk
Where the water comes from
Pender County Utilities draws water from 5 wells and 1 surface water intake. It also buys water from Town of Wallace. It also has an emergency connection to Town of Surf City.
Buys water from
- Town of Wallace Wallace, NC
Emergency or part-time connections to
- Town of Surf City Surf City, NC
Annual water quality report
Pender County Utilities 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.
Systems serving 10,000 or more people must mail or deliver the report to every customer, and from 2027 they must send it twice a year.
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