Public water system · NC1081024
ActiveFirefly Cove
At a glance
Firefly Cove (PWSID NC1081024) is an active community water system in Rutherford County, North Carolina. It reports serving 99 people through 39 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, one is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
99
Service connections
39
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Firefly Cove compare with other water systems in Rutherford County?
By EPA's size categories, Firefly Cove is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Rutherford County has 60 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 929 people per system, and accounts for 0.2% of the 55,748 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 Firefly Cove 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 Firefly Cove?
EPA lists Firefly Cove 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 60 active systems in Rutherford County (12%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Firefly Cove have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2025. The violations listed here began between January 2019 and October 2025. By type: 5 monitoring and reporting, 3 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 2 monitoring, 1 reporting and 1 required treatment not met. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Lead and Copper Rule (3 of them). EPA lists 11 as resolved and 1 as addressed. 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. Addressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is covered by formal enforcement.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-10-17 | ReportingLSL Reporting · code 4G | Lead and Copper Rule Revisionscode 5200 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-10-17 | Required treatment not metLSL Inventory · code 2E | Lead and Copper Rule Revisionscode 5200 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Addressed |
| 2022-05-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-08-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingInitial Tap Sampling for Pb and Cu · code 51 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | 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.
Firefly Cove: frequently asked questions
Who runs Firefly Cove?
Firefly Cove (PWSID NC1081024) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the NC state drinking water program.
How many people does Firefly Cove serve?
Firefly Cove reports serving 99 people through 39 service connections in Rutherford County, North Carolina.
Where does Firefly Cove 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 Firefly Cove 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 October 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 Firefly Cove'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 October 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the NC state drinking water program.
Where can I find Firefly Cove's water quality report?
As a community water system, Firefly Cove 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 Rutherford County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest City, Town of | Rutherford | 21,521 | Community | Surface water |
| Broad River Water Authority | Rutherford | 18,242 | Community | Surface water |
| Ellenboro Town of | Rutherford | 2,322 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Concord Comm Water System | Rutherford | 1,867 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Fairfield Mountains No 1 | Rutherford | 1,798 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lake Lure, Town of | Rutherford | 1,176 | 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, “Firefly Cove, PWSID NC1081024, North Carolina”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/north-carolina/firefly-cove-nc1081024 (data as of October 1, 2026).