Public water system · NC0156436
ActiveWest Marion Elem School
At a glance
West Marion Elem School (PWSID NC0156436) is an active non-transient non-community water system in McDowell County, North Carolina. It reports serving 449 people through 1 service connection. 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
449
Service connections
1
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
NTNCWS
Non-transient non-community water system
System record
How does West Marion Elem School compare with other water systems in McDowell County?
By EPA's size categories, West Marion Elem School is a very small system (500 people or fewer). McDowell County has 94 active public water systems. Its population served is about 54% above the county average of 291 people per system, and accounts for 1.6% of the 27,345 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 non-transient non-community water system reports serving 430 people, so West Marion Elem School is roughly in line with that figure.
What does “non-transient non-community water system” mean?
A non-transient non-community water system regularly serves at least 25 of the same people for more than six months a year, but not where they live. Schools, factories, office buildings and hospitals with their own supply are typical examples. North Carolina has 311 active non-transient non-community water systems, 6.1% 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 West Marion Elem School?
EPA lists West Marion Elem School 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. 6 of the 94 active systems in McDowell County (6.4%) are also owned by a local government.
Does West Marion Elem School 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 October 2022 and October 2025. By type: 6 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 5 monitoring and reporting and 1 required treatment not met. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Public Notice (6 of them). EPA lists 8 as resolved and 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-23 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Addressed |
| 2024-10-18 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-06-07 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Addressed |
| 2024-06-07 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Addressed |
| 2024-06-07 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Addressed |
| 2024-04-01 | Required treatment not metOCCT/SOWT Study/Recommendation · code 57 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2024-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingInitial, Follow-up, or Routine Source Water M/R · code 56 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-08-09 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingWater Quality Parameter M/R · code 53 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | 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.
West Marion Elem School: frequently asked questions
Who runs West Marion Elem School?
West Marion Elem School (PWSID NC0156436) is a non-transient non-community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the NC state drinking water program.
How many people does West Marion Elem School serve?
West Marion Elem School reports serving 449 people through 1 service connection in McDowell County, North Carolina.
Where does West Marion Elem School 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 West Marion Elem School 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 West Marion Elem School'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 EPA ECHO, or the NC state drinking water program.
Where can I find West Marion Elem School's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. West Marion Elem School is a non-transient non-community water system, so it is not required to publish one; like every public water system, it must notify the people it serves about violations under EPA's public notification rules.
Other water systems in McDowell County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion, City of | McDowell | 9,362 | Community | Surface water |
| Baxter Health Care Corp | McDowell | 2,450 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Old Fort, Town of | McDowell | 1,700 | Community | Groundwater |
| Mcdowell Co--Nebo | McDowell | 902 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Riverside Convenience Store | McDowell | 500 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| New North Cove Elem School | McDowell | 450 | Non-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, “West Marion Elem School, PWSID NC0156436, North Carolina”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/north-carolina/west-marion-elem-school-nc0156436 (data as of October 1, 2026).