Public water system · NC0471020
ActiveTopsail Beach, Town of
At a glance
Town of Topsail Beach (PWSID NC0471020) is an active community water system in Pender County, North Carolina. It reports serving 3,495 people through 1,398 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, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2022.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
3,495
Service connections
1,398
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Town of Topsail Beach compare with other water systems in Pender County?
By EPA's size categories, Town of Topsail Beach is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Pender County has 54 active public water systems, and Town of Topsail Beach is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 3 times the county average of 1,152 people per system, and accounts for 5.6% of the 62,229 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 Topsail Beach is about half of 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 Topsail Beach?
EPA lists Town of Topsail Beach 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 54 active systems in Pender County (13%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Town of Topsail Beach have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2022. The violations listed here began between January 2017 and October 2022. By type: 7 contaminant level above the legal limit and 5 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) (7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2022-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2022-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2022-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2021-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2021-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2021-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | p-Dichlorobenzenecode 2969 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Dichloromethanecode 2964 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Ethylbenzenecode 2992 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Xylenes, Totalcode 2955 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzenecode 2378 | 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 Topsail Beach: frequently asked questions
Who runs Town of Topsail Beach?
Town of Topsail Beach (PWSID NC0471020) 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 Topsail Beach serve?
Town of Topsail Beach reports serving 3,495 people through 1,398 service connections in Pender County, North Carolina.
Where does Town of Topsail Beach 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 Topsail Beach have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2022. 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 Topsail Beach'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, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2022. 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 Topsail Beach's water quality report?
As a community water system, Town of Topsail Beach 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 Pender County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pender County Utilities | Pender | 32,302 | Community | Surface water |
| Surf City, Town of | Pender | 9,730 | Community | Groundwater |
| Burgaw, Town of | Pender | 4,250 | Community | Groundwater |
| Belvedere Plantation | Pender | 3,462 | Community | Groundwater |
| Scott`S Hill Baptist Ch-Front | Pender | 1,600 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Maple Hill Water District | Pender | 968 | Community | Purchased 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, “Topsail Beach, Town of, PWSID NC0471020, North Carolina”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/north-carolina/topsail-beach-town-of-nc0471020 (data as of October 1, 2026).