Public water system · GA0490000
ActiveFolkston
At a glance
Folkston (PWSID GA0490000) is an active community water system in Charlton County, Georgia. It reports serving 5,390 people through 2,320 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2008.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
5,390
Service connections
2,320
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Folkston compare with other water systems in Charlton County?
By EPA's size categories, Folkston is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Charlton County has 8 active public water systems, and Folkston is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 5.5 times the county average of 984 people per system, and accounts for 68% of the 7,869 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 Folkston is about 20% 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. Georgia has 1,724 active community water systems, 73% of the state's 2,375 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 2,118 Georgia systems (89%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Folkston?
EPA lists Folkston 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. 4 of the 8 active systems in Charlton County (50%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Folkston have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2008. The violations listed here began between September 1994 and July 2008. By type: 4 contaminant level above the legal limit, 2 monitoring and reporting and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (6 of them). EPA lists 6 as archived and 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 2005-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 2004-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2001-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1998-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1996-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1994-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
All 7 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.
Folkston: frequently asked questions
Who runs Folkston?
Folkston (PWSID GA0490000) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the GA state drinking water program.
How many people does Folkston serve?
Folkston reports serving 5,390 people through 2,320 service connections in Charlton County, Georgia.
Where does Folkston 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 Folkston have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2008. 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 Folkston'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 7 violations for this system; 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2008. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the GA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Folkston's water quality report?
As a community water system, Folkston 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 Charlton County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homeland | Charlton | 961 | Community | Groundwater |
| Suwanee Canal Recreation Ctr. | Charlton | 591 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| The Farm at Okefenokee | Charlton | 365 | Community | Groundwater |
| St. George School | Charlton | 227 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Traders-Hill Recreation Area | Charlton | 200 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Dnr-Stephen C. Foster St. Park | Charlton | 100 | 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, “Folkston, PWSID GA0490000, Georgia”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/georgia/folkston-ga0490000 (data as of October 1, 2026).