Public water system · TN0000233
ActiveEtowah Utilities
At a glance
Etowah Utilities (PWSID TN0000233) is an active community water system in McMinn County, Tennessee. It reports serving 12,851 people through 5,203 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, one is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2021.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
12,851
Service connections
5,203
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Etowah Utilities compare with other water systems in McMinn County?
By EPA's size categories, Etowah Utilities is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). McMinn County has 11 active public water systems, and Etowah Utilities is the 2nd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 159% above the county average of 4,958 people per system, and accounts for 24% of the 54,536 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 Etowah Utilities is about twice 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. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 151 Tennessee systems (11%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Etowah Utilities?
EPA lists Etowah Utilities 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. 6 of the 11 active systems in McMinn County (55%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Etowah Utilities 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 2021. The violations listed here began between July 1992 and January 2021. By type: 10 monitoring and reporting, 1 contaminant level above the legal limit and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is E. coli (3 of them). EPA lists 9 as resolved and 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (LT2) · code 32 | E. colicode 3014 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (LT2) · code 32 | E. colicode 3014 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (LT2) · code 32 | E. colicode 3014 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1999-10-19 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 1997-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1995-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Archived |
| 1994-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1992-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingInitial Tap Sampling for Pb and Cu · code 51 | 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.
Etowah Utilities: frequently asked questions
Who runs Etowah Utilities?
Etowah Utilities (PWSID TN0000233) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the TN state drinking water program.
How many people does Etowah Utilities serve?
Etowah Utilities reports serving 12,851 people through 5,203 service connections in McMinn County, Tennessee.
Where does Etowah Utilities 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 Etowah Utilities 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 2021. 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 Etowah Utilities' 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 2021. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the TN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Etowah Utilities' water quality report?
As a community water system, Etowah Utilities 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 McMinn County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens Utilities Board | McMinn | 26,424 | Community | Surface water |
| Niota Water System | McMinn | 3,932 | Community | Purchased groundwater under influence |
| Englewood Water Dept | McMinn | 3,917 | Community | Surface water |
| Riceville Utility District | McMinn | 3,843 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Calhoun-Charleston U.D. | McMinn | 2,959 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Resolute Forest Products | McMinn | 200 | Non-transient non-community | Surface water |
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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, “Etowah Utilities, PWSID TN0000233, Tennessee”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/tennessee/etowah-utilities-tn0000233 (data as of October 1, 2026).