Public water system · GA0850007
ActiveEtowah
At a glance
Etowah (PWSID GA0850007) is an active community water system in Dawson County, Georgia. It reports serving 23,922 people through 7,922 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2013.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
23,922
Service connections
7,922
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Etowah compare with other water systems in Dawson County?
By EPA's size categories, Etowah is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Dawson County has 11 active public water systems, and Etowah is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 8.9 times the county average of 2,686 people per system, and accounts for 81% of the 29,548 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Georgia, the 2,375 active systems average 4,525 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Etowah is about 3.6 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. Georgia has 1,724 active community water systems, 73% of the state's 2,375 active systems. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 103 Georgia systems (4.3%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Etowah?
EPA lists Etowah as owned by a local government. The GA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 2 of the 11 active systems in Dawson County (18%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Etowah have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2013. The violations listed here began between September 1991 and September 2013. By type: 5 contaminant level above the legal limit and 4 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (9 of them). EPA lists 9 as archived. 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.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2013-05-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2012-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 2012-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2012-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2000-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1999-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1995-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1991-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
All 9 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.
Etowah: frequently asked questions
Who runs Etowah?
Etowah (PWSID GA0850007) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the GA state drinking water program.
How many people does Etowah serve?
Etowah reports serving 23,922 people through 7,922 service connections in Dawson County, Georgia.
Where does Etowah get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as surface water. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs.
Does Etowah have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2013. 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 Etowah'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 9 violations for this system; 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2013. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the GA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Etowah's water quality report?
As a community water system, Etowah 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 Dawson County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawsonville | Dawson | 4,433 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Athens Boat Club | Dawson | 325 | Community | Groundwater |
| Dnr-Amicalola Falls State Park | Dawson | 297 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| The Village at Paradise Valley | Dawson | 195 | Community | Groundwater |
| Paradise Valley Resort | Dawson | 150 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Atlanta Motorsports Park | Dawson | 88 | Transient non-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, “Etowah, PWSID GA0850007, Georgia”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/georgia/etowah-ga0850007 (data as of October 1, 2026).