Public water system · NC0489010
ActiveColumbia Water System
At a glance
Columbia Water System (PWSID NC0489010) is an active community water system in Tyrrell County, North Carolina. It reports serving 891 people through 499 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, 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 April 2011.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
891
Service connections
499
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Columbia Water System compare with other water systems in Tyrrell County?
By EPA's size categories, Columbia Water System is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Tyrrell County has 3 active public water systems, and Columbia Water System is the 2nd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 36% below the county average of 1,389 people per system, and accounts for 21% of the 4,168 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 Columbia Water System is well 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. North Carolina has 2,031 active community water systems, 40% of the state's 5,087 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 4,566 North Carolina systems (90%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Columbia Water System?
EPA lists Columbia Water System 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. 2 of the 3 active systems in Tyrrell County (67%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Columbia Water System have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2011. The violations listed here began between April 2011 and April 2011. By type: 12 monitoring and reporting. The contaminants or rules involved are Atrazine, Toxaphene, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and Picloram. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Atrazinecode 2050 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Toxaphenecode 2020 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalatecode 2039 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Picloramcode 2040 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Pentachlorophenolcode 2326 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Endrincode 2005 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP)code 2931 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Oxamylcode 2036 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Simazinecode 2037 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Lindane (gamma-BHC)code 2010 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), totalcode 2383 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Benzo(a)pyrenecode 2306 | 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.
Columbia Water System: frequently asked questions
Who runs Columbia Water System?
Columbia Water System (PWSID NC0489010) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the NC state drinking water program.
How many people does Columbia Water System serve?
Columbia Water System reports serving 891 people through 499 service connections in Tyrrell County, North Carolina.
Where does Columbia Water System 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 Columbia Water System 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 April 2011. 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 Columbia 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. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2011. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the NC state drinking water program.
Where can I find Columbia Water System's water quality report?
As a community water system, Columbia 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 Tyrrell County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrrell County Water | Tyrrell | 3,177 | Community | Groundwater |
| Alligator River Marina | Tyrrell | 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, “Columbia Water System, PWSID NC0489010, North Carolina”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/north-carolina/columbia-water-system-nc0489010 (data as of October 1, 2026).