Public water system · KY0480565
ActiveCawood Water District
At a glance
Cawood Water District (PWSID KY0480565) is an active community water system in Harlan County, Kentucky. It reports serving 4,428 people through 1,560 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
4,428
Service connections
1,560
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Cawood Water District compare with other water systems in Harlan County?
By EPA's size categories, Cawood Water District is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Harlan County has 17 active public water systems, and Cawood Water District is the 2nd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 175% above the county average of 1,611 people per system, and accounts for 16% of the 27,378 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Kentucky, the 437 active systems average 11,699 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Cawood Water District is about 34% 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. Kentucky has 371 active community water systems, 85% of the state's 437 active systems. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 135 Kentucky systems (31%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Cawood Water District?
EPA lists Cawood Water District as owned by a local government. The KY state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 10 of the 17 active systems in Harlan County (59%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Cawood Water District have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025. The violations listed here began between April 2012 and January 2025. By type: 7 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 4 monitoring and reporting and 1 required treatment not met. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Public Notice (4 of them). EPA lists 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-29 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique No Certif. Operator · code 12 | Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rulecode 0400 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2022-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-12-11 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-12-11 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Turbidity (Enhanced SWTR) · code 38 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0300 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Resolved |
| 2012-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2012-04-03 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
The 12 most recent 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.
Cawood Water District: frequently asked questions
Who runs Cawood Water District?
Cawood Water District (PWSID KY0480565) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the KY state drinking water program.
How many people does Cawood Water District serve?
Cawood Water District reports serving 4,428 people through 1,560 service connections in Harlan County, Kentucky.
Where does Cawood Water District 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 Cawood Water District have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025. 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 Cawood Water District'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. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the KY state drinking water program.
Where can I find Cawood Water District's water quality report?
As a community water system, Cawood Water District 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 Harlan County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan Municipal Water Works | Harlan | 4,574 | Community | Surface water |
| Evarts Municipal Water Plant | Harlan | 3,059 | Community | Groundwater under influence of surface water |
| Cumberland Municipal Water Works | Harlan | 2,843 | Community | Surface water |
| Black Mtn Utility/Dayhoit | Harlan | 1,954 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Black Mtn Utility/Rosspoint | Harlan | 1,889 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Black Mtn Utility/Wallins | Harlan | 1,485 | Community | Purchased surface water |
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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, “Cawood Water District, PWSID KY0480565, Kentucky”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/kentucky/cawood-water-district-ky0480565 (data as of October 1, 2026).