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Tap water quality report

Charleston Water System (sc1010001)

EPA monitoring tested this supplier for 107 contaminants and detected 22. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — the level and EPA source for each is below.

107
contaminants tested
22
detected
327,422
people served
5
health-based violations
Water source
Surface water
Ownership
Local government
Counties served
Charleston

Compliance record

Formal violations the EPA has on file for this supplier. A health-based violation means a contaminant limit or a required treatment was breached; the rest are monitoring or reporting failures — still violations, but not a measured health risk.

5
health-based violations
21
violations on file
0
still open
ViolationTypeStatusPeriod
MCL Health-based Archived 1984-07-12 → 1985-07-11
MCL Health-based Archived 1984-07-01 → 1984-09-30
MCL Health-based Archived 1984-04-01 → 1984-06-30
MCL Health-based Archived 1984-01-01 → 1984-03-31
MCL Health-based Archived 1983-10-01 → 1983-12-31
MR Monitoring Archived 2004-07-01 → 2004-07-31
MR Monitoring Resolved 2002-10-01
MR Monitoring Resolved 2002-10-01
MR Monitoring Resolved 1993-07-01 → 1993-09-30
MR Monitoring Resolved 1993-07-01 → 1993-09-30

PFAS detected

PFAS are industrial “forever chemicals”. These are the EPA's latest nationwide test results (2023–2025).
ContaminantMaxDetection ratePeriod
PFBS 0.0038 µg/L 3/3 2025
Pfhxa 0.0043 µg/L 3/3 2025
PFOA 0.0044 µg/L 3/3 2025
PFOS 0.0065 µg/L 3/3 2025
Pfpea 0.0047 µg/L 3/3 2025

Other contaminants detected

Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a running annual average while the figure is the single worst sample on record — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Formal violations are listed separately.
ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitDetection rateSourcePeriod
TTHM
51.88 µg/L 65%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
251/252 SYR4 2012–2019
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
86.09 µg/L 143%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L
251/252 SYR4 2012–2019
Bromodichloromethane
12.36 µg/L
No EPA limit set
247/252 SYR4 2012–2019
Dichloroacetic Acid
78.93 µg/L
No EPA limit set
244/252 SYR4 2012–2019
Dibromochloromethane
12.17 µg/L
No EPA limit set
241/252 SYR4 2012–2019
Dibromoacetic Acid
10.15 µg/L
No EPA limit set
230/252 SYR4 2012–2019
Chloroform
39.52 µg/L
No EPA limit set
215/252 SYR4 2012–2019
Monobromoacetic Acid
5.62 µg/L
No EPA limit set
205/252 SYR4 2012–2019
Trichloroacetic Acid
6.19 µg/L
No EPA limit set
163/252 SYR4 2012–2019
Copper
180 µg/L 14%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
44/151 SYR4 2012–2018
Lead
17 µg/L 113%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L
42/151 SYR4 2012–2018
Bromoform
15.45 µg/L
No EPA limit set
32/252 SYR4 2012–2019
Lead
0.0035 mg/L 23%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
18/18 LCR 2024
Nitrate
520 µg/L 5.2%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
16/16 SYR4 2012–2019
Fluoride
590 µg/L 15%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
6/8 SYR4 2012–2019
Monochloroacetic Acid
13.03 µg/L
No EPA limit set
5/252 SYR4 2012–2019
Nitrate-Nitrite
100 µg/L 1%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
1/1 SYR4 2017
85 contaminants tested, none detected
1,1,1-Trichloroethane1,1,2-Trichloroethane1,1-Dichloroethylene1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE1,2-Dichloroethane1,2-Dichloropropane11Cl-PF3OUdS2,4,5-TP2,4-D4:2 Fts6:2 Fts8:2 Fts9Cl-PF3ONSAdonaAntimony, TotalArsenicAtrazineBhc-GammaBariumBenzeneBenzo(A)PyreneBeryllium, TotalChlorobenzeneCadmiumCarbofuranCarbon TetrachlorideChlordaneChromiumCombined Radium (-226 And -228)DichloromethaneDalaponDi(2-ethylhexyl) AdipateDi(2-ethylhexyl) PhthalateDinosebDiquatEthylene DibromideEndrinEthylbenzeneGlyphosateGross Alpha, Excl. Radon And UHexachlorobenzeneHfpo-DaHeptachlorHeptachlor EpoxideHexachlorocyclopentadieneLassoMercuryMethoxychlorNetfosaaNfdhaNmefosaaNitriteOxamylPfbaPfdaPfdoaPfeesaPfhpaPfhpsPFHXSPfmbaPfmpaPFNAPfpesPftaPftrdaPfunaPentachlorophenolPicloramSeleniumSimazineStyreneTetrachloroethyleneThallium, TotalTolueneToxapheneTrichloroethyleneVinyl ChlorideXylenes, Totalcis-1,2-DichloroethyleneLithiumO-DichlorobenzeneP-Dichlorobenzenetrans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

Utility contact

Contact
ROPP, WESLEY
Phone
843-863-4038
Email
thamesrm@charlestoncpw.com; byrnejf@charlestoncpw.com; ROPPJW@CHARLESTONCPW.COM

Frequently asked questions about Charleston Water System (sc1010001)

Is Charleston Water System (sc1010001) tap water safe to drink?

EPA monitoring detected 22 contaminants in Charleston Water System (sc1010001)'s water. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most levels are within federal limits. See each level and source above, and the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for its official compliance status.

What contaminants were detected in Charleston Water System (sc1010001)'s water?

EPA monitoring detected TTHM, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Bromodichloromethane, Dichloroacetic Acid, Dibromochloromethane, and others. The full list with the level and data source for each is above.

How many people does Charleston Water System (sc1010001) serve?

Charleston Water System (sc1010001) reports serving 327,422 people in South Carolina, per its EPA record.

Has Charleston Water System (sc1010001) had any water quality violations?

The EPA has 21 violations on file for Charleston Water System (sc1010001), of which 5 are health-based (a contaminant limit or required treatment was breached) and 0 remain open. The rest are monitoring or reporting failures.

Where does this data come from?

Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.