Pender County Water Quality
Pender County, North Carolina
Water Grade
F
Water Score
19.8
Violations
74
State Rank
#98
of 100 (1 = best)
EPA SDWIS Compliance
Drinking Water Quality
Water Quality Grade
F
Based on EPA compliance history and violation data
Water Score
19.8/100
Higher = better quality
Health Violations
74
Health-based violations
Violation Rate
133.1%
Systems with violations
Water Advisory: Pender County
Water Verdict
Pender County receives a poor water quality assessment with a grade of F and a score of 19.8 out of 100. The water supply has documented quality issues. Residents are strongly encouraged to use filtered or bottled water for drinking and to stay informed about utility improvement plans.
Violation Context
Pender County has recorded 74 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 133.1 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues.
Consumer Guidance
Residents of Pender County are advised to use filtered or bottled water for drinking and cooking until water quality improves. A reverse-osmosis or activated-carbon filter certified to remove the contaminants listed in the utility's Consumer Confidence Report is recommended. With 74 recorded health violations, staying informed about utility communications and boil-water notices is especially important. For long-term peace of mind, request your utility's latest Consumer Confidence Report and consider independent water testing if you have specific health concerns.
Regional Context
Pender County has poorer water quality than the average county in North Carolina. Its water score is 33.2 points lower than the state average, suggesting more challenges with contamination control or infrastructure than neighboring counties.
Past 5 years
Water Quality Monitoring
Monitoring Sites
17
Active in the past 5 years
Measurements Recorded
5.5K
5,476 total readings
Most Measured
- Physical
- Microbiological
- Nutrient
Categories measured most frequently
Data from the EPA Water Quality Portal (WQP), aggregating monitoring records from federal, state, and tribal sources. Each measurement represents a single sample analyzed for a specific characteristic (e.g., E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen).
Live USGS Streamgage
River & Stream Conditions
Current Discharge
998cfs
Dec 13, 4:45 AM UTC
vs Long-Term Average
Long-term average not yet available.
One representative streamgage (the one with the largest drainage area in the county). Many counties have multiple gauges — this view summarizes the primary one. The long-term mean is the full-record annual average; "% of typical" compares the latest reading against that average.
Improve your water quality at home
Berkey filters remove 99.9%+ of contaminants from tap water.
Sponsored
Test your tap water
Tap Score provides professional mail-in water testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water quality in Pender County, North Carolina?
Are there any water violations in Pender County?
How much water-quality monitoring happens in Pender County?
What's happening with rivers in Pender County right now?
How does Pender County water compare to the North Carolina average?
Is tap water safe to drink in Pender County?
Why does Pender County have so many water violations?
How does Pender County rank for water quality in North Carolina?
Counties with Similar Water Quality
Data Sources
Drinking-water compliance data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) via the ECHO enforcement database. Scores reflect compliance history and health-based violation counts.
Water-quality monitoring counts from the EPA Water Quality Portal (WQP) — federated USGS, EPA, and state agency sampling records over a rolling 5-year window.
Live streamflow from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) — continuous discharge measurements from the largest-drainage gauge in each county, compared against the full-record long-term annual mean.
Disclaimer: This data is informational only. It is not health, legal, or professional advice. For concerns about your specific water supply, contact your local water utility.