Public water system · TN0000231
ActiveErwin Utilities Authority
At a glance
Erwin Utilities Authority (PWSID TN0000231) is an active community water system in Unicoi County, Tennessee. It reports serving 12,236 people through 5,438 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater under influence of surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 9 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2012.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
12,236
Service connections
5,438
Primary source
GU
Groundwater under influence of surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Erwin Utilities Authority compare with other water systems in Unicoi County?
By EPA's size categories, Erwin Utilities Authority is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Unicoi County has 3 active public water systems, and Erwin Utilities Authority is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about twice the county average of 5,604 people per system, and accounts for 73% of the 16,813 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Tennessee, the 1,383 active systems average 5,780 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Erwin Utilities Authority is about 83% 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. Tennessee has 450 active community water systems, 33% of the state's 1,383 active systems. Groundwater under the influence of surface water is well or spring water that the regulator has found to be affected by nearby surface water, so it is regulated under the surface-water treatment rules. 44 Tennessee systems (3.2%) list groundwater under influence of surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Erwin Utilities Authority?
EPA lists Erwin Utilities Authority as owned by a local government. The TN state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 2 of the 3 active systems in Unicoi County (67%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Erwin Utilities Authority have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 9 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2012. The violations listed here began between September 1996 and November 2012. By type: 8 required treatment not met, 3 monitoring and reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Surface Water Treatment Rule (8 of them). EPA lists 8 as resolved and 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Minor (TCR) · code 26 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2012-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2006-02-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1996-12-01 | Required treatment not metFailure to Filter (SWTR) · code 42 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1996-12-01 | Required treatment not metFailure to Filter (SWTR) · code 42 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Archived |
| 1996-11-01 | Required treatment not metFailure to Filter (SWTR) · code 42 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Archived |
| 1996-11-01 | Required treatment not metFailure to Filter (SWTR) · code 42 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1996-10-01 | Required treatment not metFailure to Filter (SWTR) · code 42 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1996-10-01 | Required treatment not metFailure to Filter (SWTR) · code 42 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Archived |
| 1996-09-01 | Required treatment not metFailure to Filter (SWTR) · code 42 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1996-09-01 | Required treatment not metFailure to Filter (SWTR) · code 42 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Archived |
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.
Erwin Utilities Authority: frequently asked questions
Who runs Erwin Utilities Authority?
Erwin Utilities Authority (PWSID TN0000231) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the TN state drinking water program.
How many people does Erwin Utilities Authority serve?
Erwin Utilities Authority reports serving 12,236 people through 5,438 service connections in Unicoi County, Tennessee.
Where does Erwin Utilities Authority get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater under influence of surface water. Groundwater under the influence of surface water is well or spring water that the regulator has found to be affected by nearby surface water, so it is regulated under the surface-water treatment rules.
Does Erwin Utilities Authority have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 9 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2012. 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 Erwin Utilities Authority'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, 9 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2012. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the TN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Erwin Utilities Authority's water quality report?
As a community water system, Erwin Utilities Authority 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 Unicoi County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unicoi Utility District | Unicoi | 4,527 | Community | Purchased groundwater under influence |
| Coffee Ridge Baptst Church | Unicoi | 50 | 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, “Erwin Utilities Authority, PWSID TN0000231, Tennessee”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/tennessee/erwin-utilities-authority-tn0000231 (data as of October 1, 2026).