Public water system · WA5387181
ActiveTapps Island Water System
At a glance
Tapps Island Water System (PWSID WA5387181) is an active community water system in Pierce County, Washington. It reports serving 1,501 people through 534 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as privately owned. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in May 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,501
Service connections
534
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Tapps Island Water System compare with other water systems in Pierce County?
By EPA's size categories, Tapps Island Water System is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Pierce County has 358 active public water systems. Its population served is about half of the county average of 3,335 people per system, and accounts for 0.1% of the 1,193,797 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Washington, the 4,705 active systems average 2,172 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Tapps Island Water System is well 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. Washington has 2,392 active community water systems, 51% of the state's 4,705 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 4,370 Washington systems (93%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Tapps Island Water System?
EPA lists Tapps Island Water System as privately owned. The WA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 257 of the 358 active systems in Pierce County (72%) are also privately owned.
Does Tapps Island Water System have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in May 2025. The violations listed here began between January 2008 and May 2025. By type: 8 monitoring and reporting, 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 1 monitoring and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Nitrate (2 of them). EPA lists 10 as resolved, 1 as unaddressed 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. Unaddressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is not yet covered by formal enforcement. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2015-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Bariumcode 1010 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Arseniccode 1005 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Antimonycode 1074 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nickelcode 1036 | 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.
Tapps Island Water System: frequently asked questions
Who runs Tapps Island Water System?
Tapps Island Water System (PWSID WA5387181) is a community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the WA state drinking water program.
How many people does Tapps Island Water System serve?
Tapps Island Water System reports serving 1,501 people through 534 service connections in Pierce County, Washington.
Where does Tapps Island Water System 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 Tapps Island Water System 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 May 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 Tapps Island Water System'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 May 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the WA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Tapps Island Water System's water quality report?
As a community water system, Tapps Island Water System 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 Pierce County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Water Division City of | Pierce | 446,170 | Community | Surface water |
| Puyallup City of | Pierce | 94,520 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Lakewood Water District | Pierce | 82,425 | Community | Groundwater |
| Southwood | Pierce | 64,155 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Bonney Lake Water Department City | Pierce | 43,371 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Firgrove Mutual Inc. | Pierce | 36,168 | Community | Purchased 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, “Tapps Island Water System, PWSID WA5387181, Washington”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/washington/tapps-island-water-system-wa5387181 (data as of October 1, 2026).