Public water system · 043740039
ActiveCherokee Water System
At a glance
Cherokee Water System (PWSID 043740039) is an active community water system in North Carolina. It reports serving 16,203 people through 2,637 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as Native American-owned. EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2024.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
16,203
Service connections
2,637
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Cherokee Water System compare with other water systems in North Carolina?
By EPA's size categories, Cherokee Water System is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). 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 Cherokee Water System is about 142% 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 Cherokee Water System?
EPA lists Cherokee Water System as Native American-owned. The EPA Region 04 is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Does Cherokee Water System have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2024. The violations listed here began between January 2004 and November 2024. By type: 4 contaminant level above the legal limit, 2 monitoring and reporting and 1 required treatment not met. The contaminants or rules involved are Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, Vinyl chloride, Trichloroethylene and Carbon tetrachloride. EPA lists 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-15 | Required treatment not metLSL Inventory · code 2E | Lead and Copper Rule Revisionscode 5200 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2023-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Vinyl chloridecode 2976 | Yes | Archived |
| 2023-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Trichloroethylenecode 2984 | Yes | Archived |
| 2023-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Carbon tetrachloridecode 2982 | Yes | Archived |
| 2023-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Tetrachloroethylenecode 2987 | Yes | Archived |
| 2010-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Carbon, totalcode 2920 | No | Resolved |
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.
Cherokee Water System: frequently asked questions
Who runs Cherokee Water System?
Cherokee Water System (PWSID 043740039) is a community water system Native American-owned. It is regulated by the EPA Region 04.
How many people does Cherokee Water System serve?
Cherokee Water System reports serving 16,203 people through 2,637 service connections in North Carolina.
Where does Cherokee Water System 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 Cherokee Water System have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2024. 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 Cherokee Water System'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; 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2024. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the EPA Region 04.
Where can I find Cherokee Water System's water quality report?
As a community water system, Cherokee Water System 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 North Carolina
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Water | Mecklenburg | 1,163,701 | Community | Surface water |
| Raleigh, City of | Wake | 650,000 | Community | Surface water |
| Winston-Salem, City of | Forsyth | 391,900 | Community | Surface water |
| Durham, City of | Durham | 333,490 | Community | Surface water |
| Greensboro, City of | Guilford | 319,588 | Community | Surface water |
| Cary, Town of | Wake | 227,300 | Community | 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, “Cherokee Water System, PWSID 043740039, North Carolina”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/north-carolina/cherokee-water-system-043740039 (data as of October 1, 2026).