Public water system · NC0144015
ActiveCanton, Town of
At a glance
Town of Canton (PWSID NC0144015) is an active community water system in Haywood County, North Carolina. It reports serving 7,850 people through 3,477 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, none is health-based, and the most recent began in December 2018.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
7,850
Service connections
3,477
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Town of Canton compare with other water systems in Haywood County?
By EPA's size categories, Town of Canton is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Haywood County has 58 active public water systems, and Town of Canton is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 8.1 times the county average of 965 people per system, and accounts for 14% of the 55,957 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across North Carolina, the 5,087 active systems average 1,971 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Town of Canton is about 17% above 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. North Carolina has 2,031 active community water systems, 40% of the state's 5,087 active systems. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 132 North Carolina systems (2.6%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Town of Canton?
EPA lists Town of Canton as owned by a local government. The NC state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 8 of the 58 active systems in Haywood County (14%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Town of Canton have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in December 2018. The violations listed here began between January 1996 and December 2018. By type: 11 monitoring and reporting and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminants or rules involved are Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, Consumer Confidence Rule, Nickel and Beryllium. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Turbidity (Enhanced SWTR) · code 38 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0300 | No | Resolved |
| 1999-10-19 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nickelcode 1036 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Berylliumcode 1075 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Antimonycode 1074 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Thalliumcode 1085 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Bariumcode 1010 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Fluoridecode 1025 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Arseniccode 1005 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Chromiumcode 1020 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Mercurycode 1035 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Cadmiumcode 1015 | 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.
Town of Canton: frequently asked questions
Who runs Town of Canton?
Town of Canton (PWSID NC0144015) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the NC state drinking water program.
How many people does Town of Canton serve?
Town of Canton reports serving 7,850 people through 3,477 service connections in Haywood County, North Carolina.
Where does Town of Canton 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 Town of Canton have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in December 2018. 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 Town of Canton'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, none is health-based, and the most recent began in December 2018. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the NC state drinking water program.
Where can I find Town of Canton's water quality report?
As a community water system, Town of Canton 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 Haywood County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waynesville, Town of | Haywood | 19,758 | Community | Surface water |
| Maggie Valley Sanitary Dist | Haywood | 9,629 | Community | Surface water |
| Junaluska Sanitary District | Haywood | 5,138 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Clyde, Town of | Haywood | 3,228 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Lake Junaluska Assembly | Haywood | 2,273 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Dot-I-40 Rest Area Wbl | Haywood | 1,000 | 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, “Canton, Town of, PWSID NC0144015, North Carolina”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/north-carolina/canton-town-of-nc0144015 (data as of October 1, 2026).