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Public water system record

Tahlequah PWA

Serves Tahlequah and Park Hill, Cherokee County, OK · 14,458 people served

Federal records show 10 health-based violations and 4 monitoring/reporting issues for Tahlequah PWA in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a resolved LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS violation.

  • OK1021701
  • TAHLEQUAH
  • OK
  • 14,458 served

System profile

Source water Surface water
ZIP 74464
EPA system ID OK1021701

Verify this system on EPA ECHO →

Health-based violations, last 10 years
10
Resolved
8
Unresolved
0
Archived by EPA
2
Any acute record
No
Monitoring issues, last 10 years
4

Key facts

  • Tahlequah PWA draws water from 2 surface water intakes.
  • Highest measured level in the last 10 years: Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), 0.071 mg/L, federal limit 0.06 mg/L (1.2 times the limit), 2017.
  • Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by Oklahoma, February 2023.
  • Record on file since 1993, with 12 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
  • Lead pipe inventory: 0 lead and 7,108 unknown out of 7,972 service lines.

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Health-based violations

Since October 2016

Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.

Contaminant Rule family Start date Status Acute
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS
Treatment technique failure
 350 Oct 17, 2024 Resolved No
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.062 mg/L, federal limit 0.06 mg/L (at or just above the limit)
 220 Oct 1, 2022 Resolved No
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.063 mg/L, federal limit 0.06 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
 220 Apr 1, 2022 Resolved No
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 120 Oct 1, 2019 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
 No
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 120 Oct 1, 2019 Resolved No
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 120 Sep 1, 2019 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
 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 Jul 1, 2019 Resolved No
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.066 mg/L, federal limit 0.06 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
 220 Apr 1, 2019 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, 2017 Resolved No
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.071 mg/L, federal limit 0.06 mg/L (1.2 times the limit)
 220 Jul 1, 2017 Resolved No

Monitoring and reporting issues

Since October 2016

Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.

Issue Start date Status
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS
RPT
 Oct 17, 2024 Resolved
Asbestos
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2023 Resolved
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
 Jun 30, 2022 Resolved
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Monitoring and reporting
 Aug 1, 2019 Resolved

Full record since 1993

EPA's records for Tahlequah PWA go back to 1993. Before October 19, 2016 they list 12 health-based violations (9 resolved, 3 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 1 monitoring or reporting violation.

Violations that began in Health-based Monitoring and reporting
1990s 9 1
2000s 1 0
2010 to October 18, 2016 2 0
October 19, 2016 to 2019 7 1
2020s 3 3

Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, began February 2014, Resolved.

Show all 12 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
Contaminant Start date Status
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Feb 1, 2014 Resolved
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Jan 1, 2014 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Sep 1, 2009 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Dec 1, 1997 Resolved
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Apr 1, 1997 Archived
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Jun 1, 1996 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Jul 1, 1995 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Jun 1, 1995 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Oct 1, 1994 Resolved
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Feb 1, 1994 Resolved
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Nov 1, 1993 Archived
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Aug 1, 1993 Archived

Enforcement actions

Oklahoma regulators took 10 formal enforcement actions against Tahlequah PWA between 1994 and 2023. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in February 2023.

Date By Action Violations covered
Feb 3, 2023 Oklahoma Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Jan 3, 2023 Oklahoma Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
May 1, 2020 Oklahoma Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Nov 5, 2019 Oklahoma Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Sep 24, 2019 Oklahoma Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Nov 6, 2017 Oklahoma Compliance order with a penalty 2 violations (2 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
May 1, 2014 Oklahoma Compliance order with a penalty 2 violations (2 health-based): Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
May 15, 1997 Oklahoma Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Surface Water Treatment Rule
Jul 20, 1995 Oklahoma Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform
Oct 5, 1994 Oklahoma Compliance order (no penalty) 2 violations (2 health-based): Surface Water Treatment Rule

What the violations mean

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)

5 incidents

Haloacetic acid byproducts exceeded the federal limit

Long-term exposure to HAAs may increase cancer risk

Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule

3 incidents

The system failed required surface water treatment or filtration standards

Untreated or inadequately treated surface water can contain bacteria and viruses

LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS

1 incident

The system did not complete a treatment step or action that the LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS requires (a treatment technique violation).

The utility had to notify customers about this violation.

Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

1 incident

Disinfection byproduct levels exceeded the federal limit

Long-term TTHM exposure may increase bladder cancer risk

Where the water comes from

Tahlequah PWA draws water from 2 surface water intakes. 4 other community water systems buy water from Tahlequah PWA. 1 other public water system has an interim connection to Tahlequah PWA.

Community systems that buy water from it

Annual water quality report

Tahlequah PWA 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 Oklahoma.

Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells