waterbycounty
EPA SDWIS

Swain County Water Quality

Swain County, North Carolina

Water Grade

D

Water Score

47.9

Violations

1

State Rank

#60

of 100 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

D

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

47.9/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

1

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

19.3%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Swain County

Water Verdict

Swain County receives a below-average water quality assessment with a grade of D and a score of 47.9 out of 100. Residents should review their utility's Consumer Confidence Report and may want to consider additional water filtration for drinking.

Violation Context

Swain County has recorded 1 health-based violation, meaning the water system experienced at least one exceedance of federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements. At 19.3 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues.

Consumer Guidance

Residents of Swain 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 1 recorded health violation, 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

Swain County has poorer water quality than the average county in North Carolina. Its water score is 5.1 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

64

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

25K

24,743 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Inorganics, Minor, Metals
  • Inorganics, Major, Metals

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

606cfs

May 14, 6:15 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

38%

Well below typical

Primary Streamgage

TUCKASEGEE RIVER AT BRYSON CITY, NC

USGS site
03513000
Drainage area
655 sq mi
Long-term mean
1,598 cfs

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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water quality in Swain County, North Carolina?
Swain County, North Carolina has a drinking-water quality grade of D with a score of 47.9/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 1 health-based drinking water violation over the past 5 years. Watershed health, monitoring records, and live streamflow are reported separately on this page.
Are there any water violations in Swain County?
Swain County has 1 health-based drinking water violation recorded by the EPA over the past 5 years. Health-based violations indicate instances where contaminant levels exceeded EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Violations may have been resolved — check with your local water utility for current status.
How much water-quality monitoring happens in Swain County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 24,743 measurements from 64 monitoring sites in Swain County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Inorganics, Minor, Metals, Inorganics, Major, Metals. Each measurement is a single sample analyzed for one characteristic (E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, etc.). High monitoring density means more scientific evidence behind any reported signal — it does not by itself indicate water quality.
What's happening with rivers in Swain County right now?
Swain County's primary USGS streamgage on the TUCKASEGEE RIVER is currently reading 606 cubic feet per second — 38% of the long-term mean of 1,598.11 cfs. This is well below typical — often a signal of drought stress on source water. For genuine real-time data, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Swain County water compare to the North Carolina average?
Swain County's SDWIS water quality score of 47.9/100 is lower than the North Carolina state average of 53.0. The average water quality grade across North Carolina is D, based on data from 100 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Swain County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Swain County has a water quality grade of D (47.9/100). This indicates below-average compliance with significant violations. Residents may want to consider home water filtration or independent testing. The grade speaks to the public water system, not the watershed — for watershed-level concerns, see the Watershed Health zone. For the most up-to-date information, contact your local water utility or review your Consumer Confidence Report (CCR).
Does Swain County have clean drinking water?
Swain County has 1 health-based drinking water violation according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 47.9/100 and grade D, the county's drinking water has had some compliance issues but continues to be monitored. Note: drinking-water compliance speaks to the public water system, not necessarily to the watershed itself — check the Watershed Health zone for ATTAINS §303(d) data.
How does Swain County rank for water quality in North Carolina?
Swain County ranks #60 out of 100 counties in North Carolina by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 47.9/100, it falls in the middle third of counties statewide. The ranking reflects EPA SDWIS compliance only — not watershed impairment, monitoring density, or streamflow, which are tracked separately on this page.

Counties with Similar Water Quality

Columbus County

North Carolina

D

48.1

Water score

Scotland County

North Carolina

D

47.5

Water score

Cherokee County

North Carolina

D

47.4

Water score

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.

By Logan Johnson, Founder & Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Logan Johnson, Founder & Data Editor

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