Public water system · AL0000678
ActiveCowarts Water System
At a glance
Cowarts Water System (PWSID AL0000678) is an active community water system in Houston County, Alabama. It reports serving 2,262 people through 754 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 2 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2022.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
2,262
Service connections
754
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Cowarts Water System compare with other water systems in Houston County?
By EPA's size categories, Cowarts Water System is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Houston County has 15 active public water systems, and Cowarts Water System is the 6th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is well below the county average of 8,506 people per system, and accounts for 1.8% of the 127,596 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Alabama, the 576 active systems average 11,028 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Cowarts Water System is about 66% below that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Alabama has 505 active community water systems, 88% of the state's 576 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 302 Alabama systems (52%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Cowarts Water System?
EPA lists Cowarts Water System as owned by a local government. The AL state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 11 of the 15 active systems in Houston County (73%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Cowarts Water System have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 2 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2022. The violations listed here began between October 1999 and April 2022. By type: 1 reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminants or rules involved are Revised Total Coliform Rule and Total coliform bacteria (TCR). EPA lists 2 as resolved. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-04-11 | ReportingReport Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR) · code 4B | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 1999-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
All 2 violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Cowarts Water System: frequently asked questions
Who runs Cowarts Water System?
Cowarts Water System (PWSID AL0000678) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the AL state drinking water program.
How many people does Cowarts Water System serve?
Cowarts Water System reports serving 2,262 people through 754 service connections in Houston County, Alabama.
Where does Cowarts Water System get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does Cowarts Water System have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 2 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2022. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Cowarts Water System's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. EPA's records list 2 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2022. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the AL state drinking water program.
Where can I find Cowarts Water System's water quality report?
As a community water system, Cowarts Water System must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Houston County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dothan Utilities, City of | Houston | 97,146 | Community | Groundwater |
| Taylor Water System | Houston | 9,339 | Community | Groundwater |
| Houston County Water Authority | Houston | 4,902 | Community | Groundwater |
| Ashford Water Works | Houston | 3,816 | Community | Groundwater |
| Cottonwood Water Works | Houston | 3,570 | Community | Groundwater |
| Kinsey Water System | Houston | 2,010 | Community | Groundwater |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Cowarts Water System, PWSID AL0000678, Alabama”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/alabama/cowarts-water-system-al0000678 (data as of October 1, 2026).