Public water system · NC0161010
ActiveSpruce Pine, Town of
At a glance
Town of Spruce Pine (PWSID NC0161010) is an active community water system in Mitchell County, North Carolina. It reports serving 5,661 people through 2,229 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2011.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
5,661
Service connections
2,229
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Town of Spruce Pine compare with other water systems in Mitchell County?
By EPA's size categories, Town of Spruce Pine is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Mitchell County has 25 active public water systems, and Town of Spruce Pine is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 17 times the county average of 332 people per system, and accounts for 68% of the 8,292 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 Spruce Pine is about 16% 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. 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 Town of Spruce Pine?
EPA lists Town of Spruce Pine 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. 3 of the 25 active systems in Mitchell County (12%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Town of Spruce Pine have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2011. The violations listed here began between July 1992 and July 2011. By type: 5 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 5 monitoring and reporting, 1 required treatment not met and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Consumer Confidence Rule (5 of them). EPA lists 11 as resolved and 1 as archived. 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. 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.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-02-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-01-01 | Required treatment not metMonthly Turbidity Exceed (Enhanced SWTR) · code 44 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0300 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2008-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2001-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2000-03-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1994-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1994-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Archived |
| 1992-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingWater Quality Parameter M/R · code 53 | 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.
Town of Spruce Pine: frequently asked questions
Who runs Town of Spruce Pine?
Town of Spruce Pine (PWSID NC0161010) 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 Spruce Pine serve?
Town of Spruce Pine reports serving 5,661 people through 2,229 service connections in Mitchell County, North Carolina.
Where does Town of Spruce Pine 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 Town of Spruce Pine have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 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 Town of Spruce Pine'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, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 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 Town of Spruce Pine's water quality report?
As a community water system, Town of Spruce Pine 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 Mitchell County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersville, Town of | Mitchell | 725 | Community | Groundwater |
| Gillespie Gap Maintenance | Mitchell | 250 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Dollar General #18574 | Mitchell | 200 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Swiss Pine Lakes | Mitchell | 185 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Altapass Baptist Church | Mitchell | 120 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Gem Mountain Store & Museum | Mitchell | 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, “Spruce Pine, Town of, PWSID NC0161010, North Carolina”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/north-carolina/spruce-pine-town-of-nc0161010 (data as of October 1, 2026).