Public water system · NC0428030
ActiveDare County Water System
At a glance
Dare County Water System (PWSID NC0428030) is an active community water system in Dare County, North Carolina. It reports serving 28,732 people through 15,286 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2019.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
28,732
Service connections
15,286
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Dare County Water System compare with other water systems in Dare County?
By EPA's size categories, Dare County Water System is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Dare County has 15 active public water systems, and Dare County Water System is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 8.5 times the county average of 3,387 people per system, and accounts for 57% of the 50,811 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 Dare County Water System is about 4.3 times 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 Dare County Water System?
EPA lists Dare County 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. 7 of the 15 active systems in Dare County (47%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Dare County Water System have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2019. The violations listed here began between October 1999 and July 2019. By type: 7 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 1 monitoring and reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Public Notice (4 of them). EPA lists 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-01-02 | Monitoring and reportingFailure Submit IDSE/Subpart V Plan Rpt · code 35 | Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rulecode 0600 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-01-25 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation without NPDWR Violation · code 76 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-09-30 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation without NPDWR Violation · code 76 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-09-23 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation without NPDWR Violation · code 76 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2003-03-11 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation without NPDWR Violation · code 76 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 1999-10-19 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
All 9 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.
Dare County Water System: frequently asked questions
Who runs Dare County Water System?
Dare County Water System (PWSID NC0428030) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the NC state drinking water program.
How many people does Dare County Water System serve?
Dare County Water System reports serving 28,732 people through 15,286 service connections in Dare County, North Carolina.
Where does Dare County 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 Dare County Water System have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2019. 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 Dare County 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 9 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2019. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the NC state drinking water program.
Where can I find Dare County Water System's water quality report?
As a community water system, Dare County 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 Dare County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kill Devil Hills, Town of | Dare | 7,200 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Dare Co-Cape Hatteras Water | Dare | 5,486 | Community | Groundwater |
| Nags Head, Town of | Dare | 3,125 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Manteo Town of | Dare | 2,638 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Dare Co-Rws Water System | Dare | 2,100 | Community | Groundwater |
| Frisco Campground | Dare | 406 | 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, “Dare County Water System, PWSID NC0428030, North Carolina”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/north-carolina/dare-county-water-system-nc0428030 (data as of October 1, 2026).