Public water system · WV3302801
ActiveAthens Town of
At a glance
Town of Athens (PWSID WV3302801) is an active community water system in Mercer County, West Virginia. It reports serving 5,633 people through 1,757 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 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
5,633
Service connections
1,757
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Town of Athens compare with other water systems in Mercer County?
By EPA's size categories, Town of Athens is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Mercer County has 14 active public water systems, and Town of Athens is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 149% above the county average of 2,265 people per system, and accounts for 18% of the 31,715 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across West Virginia, the 791 active systems average 2,032 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Town of Athens is about 16% 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. West Virginia has 427 active community water systems, 54% of the state's 791 active systems. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 110 West Virginia systems (14%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Town of Athens?
EPA lists Town of Athens as owned by a local government. The WV 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 14 active systems in Mercer County (50%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Town of Athens 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 2025. The violations listed here began between September 2013 and January 2025. By type: 11 monitoring and reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (3 of them). EPA lists 11 as resolved 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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Archived |
| 2021-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Turbidity (Enhanced SWTR) · code 38 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0300 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (LT2) · code 32 | E. colicode 3014 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Turbidity (Enhanced SWTR) · code 38 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0300 | No | Resolved |
| 2016-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Turbidity (Enhanced SWTR) · code 38 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0300 | No | Resolved |
| 2016-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-02-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-02-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | 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 Athens: frequently asked questions
Who runs Town of Athens?
Town of Athens (PWSID WV3302801) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the WV state drinking water program.
How many people does Town of Athens serve?
Town of Athens reports serving 5,633 people through 1,757 service connections in Mercer County, West Virginia.
Where does Town of Athens 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 Town of Athens 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 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 Town of Athens' 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 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the WV state drinking water program.
Where can I find Town of Athens' water quality report?
As a community water system, Town of Athens 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 Mercer County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wvawc Bluefield District | Mercer | 12,174 | Community | Surface water |
| Bluewell Psd | Mercer | 6,216 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Green Valley Glenwood Psd Glenwood | Mercer | 4,914 | Community | Surface water |
| Green Valley Glenwood Psd Bulltail | Mercer | 2,130 | Community | Surface water |
| Raleigh County Psd Egeria | Mercer | 200 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Bfs Foods# 52 | Mercer | 100 | 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, “Athens Town of, PWSID WV3302801, West Virginia”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/west-virginia/athens-town-of-wv3302801 (data as of October 1, 2026).