Public water system · FL1170525
ActiveEmerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua)
At a glance
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) (PWSID FL1170525) is an active community water system in Escambia County, Florida. It reports serving 242,172 people through 101,327 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2019.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
242,172
Service connections
101,327
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) compare with other water systems in Escambia County?
By EPA's size categories, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) is a very large system (more than 100,000 people). Escambia County has 16 active public water systems, and Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 11 times the county average of 21,819 people per system, and accounts for 69% of the 349,110 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Florida, the 5,197 active systems average 4,345 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) is about 36 times 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. Florida has 1,640 active community water systems, 32% of the state's 5,197 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 4,996 Florida systems (96%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua)?
EPA lists Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) as owned by a local government. The FL state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 5 of the 16 active systems in Escambia County (31%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2019. The violations listed here began between April 1992 and April 2019. By type: 7 monitoring and reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (5 of them). EPA lists 5 as archived and 3 as resolved. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingFailure to Conduct Assessment Monitoring · code 19 | E. colicode 3014 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1997-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | Yes | Archived |
| 1996-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1996-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1992-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1992-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
All 8 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.
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua): frequently asked questions
Who runs Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua)?
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) (PWSID FL1170525) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the FL state drinking water program.
How many people does Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) serve?
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) reports serving 242,172 people through 101,327 service connections in Escambia County, Florida.
Where does Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) 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 Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2019. 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 Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua)'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 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2019. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the FL state drinking water program.
Where can I find Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua)'s water quality report?
As a community water system, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua) 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 Escambia County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoples Water Service Company | Escambia | 24,806 | Community | Groundwater |
| Nas Pensacola / Corry Station | Escambia | 22,600 | Community | Groundwater |
| University of West Florida | Escambia | 13,285 | Community | Groundwater |
| Farm Hill Utilities, Inc.. | Escambia | 10,346 | Community | Groundwater |
| Molino Utilities, Inc.. | Escambia | 8,845 | Community | Groundwater |
| Cottage Hill Water Works | Escambia | 6,737 | 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, “Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (Ecua), PWSID FL1170525, Florida”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/florida/emerald-coast-utilities-authority-ecua-fl1170525 (data as of October 1, 2026).