Public water system · NC0416015
ActiveMorehead City, Town of
At a glance
Town of Morehead City (PWSID NC0416015) is an active community water system in Carteret County, North Carolina. It reports serving 18,846 people through 7,420 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 January 2026.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
18,846
Service connections
7,420
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Town of Morehead City compare with other water systems in Carteret County?
By EPA's size categories, Town of Morehead City is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Carteret County has 75 active public water systems, and Town of Morehead City is the 2nd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 17 times the county average of 1,118 people per system, and accounts for 22% of the 83,818 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 Morehead City is about 181% 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. 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 Town of Morehead City?
EPA lists Town of Morehead City 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. 13 of the 75 active systems in Carteret County (17%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Town of Morehead City have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. The violations listed here began between January 2009 and January 2026. By type: 9 monitoring and reporting, 1 reporting, 1 required treatment not met and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Nitrate (5 of them). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2026-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | 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 |
| 2024-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | 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 Morehead City: frequently asked questions
Who runs Town of Morehead City?
Town of Morehead City (PWSID NC0416015) 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 Morehead City serve?
Town of Morehead City reports serving 18,846 people through 7,420 service connections in Carteret County, North Carolina.
Where does Town of Morehead City 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 Town of Morehead City 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 January 2026. 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 Morehead City'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 January 2026. 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 Morehead City's water quality report?
As a community water system, Town of Morehead City 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 Carteret County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Carteret Water Corp | Carteret | 19,512 | Community | Groundwater |
| Atlantic Beach, Town of | Carteret | 6,380 | Community | Groundwater |
| Newport Water System | Carteret | 5,453 | Community | Groundwater |
| Bogue Banks Water Corporation | Carteret | 4,995 | Community | Groundwater |
| Pine Knoll Shores | Carteret | 4,800 | Community | Groundwater |
| Beaufort, Town of | Carteret | 4,452 | 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, “Morehead City, Town of, PWSID NC0416015, North Carolina”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/north-carolina/morehead-city-town-of-nc0416015 (data as of October 1, 2026).