PFAS above EPA’s limits in South Carolina.
53 utilities of the 152 EPA tested in South Carolina had a sampling location whose PFAS average was above a 2024 limit in its final UCMR 5 data, by EPA’s own method.
The short answer
53 utilities serving 2 million people, as they report it, had a location averaging above a limit, most often PFOS (47) and PFOA (32). The largest is City of Columbia, whose highest PFOS average was 7.5 ppt, 1.9 times the limit. The furthest above is City of Abbeville, at 8.1 times the Hazard Index limit.
These are EPA’s survey results, not violations: the limits take effect April 26, 2029, and compliance will rest on each utility’s own monitoring. EPA has proposed changes to the rule; as of Oct. 13, 2026, none is final.
Utilities above a limit
Largest first. Each one’s highest location average is for the limit it is furthest above, with the single highest sample of the same PFAS; its report has every result.
| Utility | Based in | Serves | Above | Highest location average | Highest single sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Columbia | Columbia | 354,068 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 7.5 ppt1.9 times the limit | 8.6 ppt |
| Charleston Water System | Charleston | 278,771 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 5.8 ppt1.5 times the limit | 6.5 ppt |
| Grand Strand W&Sa/Bull Creek | Conway | 252,840 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 4.4 ppt1.09 times the limit | 12 ppt |
| Bjw&Sa | Okatie | 164,829 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 5.0 ppt1.3 times the limit | 5.6 ppt |
| MT Pleasant Waterworks | Mount Pleasant | 91,500 | PFOS | PFOS 6.6 ppt1.7 times the limit | 8.4 ppt |
| Summerville Cpw | Summerville | 81,750 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 6.7 ppt1.7 times the limit | 8.1 ppt |
| City of Florence | Florence | 79,745 | PFOS | PFOS 5.7 ppt1.4 times the limit | 6.7 ppt |
| Joint Muni WSC | Lexington | 54,868 | PFOS | PFOS 5.6 ppt1.4 times the limit | 6.2 ppt |
| Greenwood Cpw | Greenwood | 52,022 | PFOA, PFOS, HFPO-DA, Hazard Index | Hazard Index 6.286.3 times the limit | — |
| Laurens County W&S Comm | Laurens | 44,866 | PFOA, PFOS, HFPO-DA, Hazard Index | Hazard Index 3.513.5 times the limit | — |
| City of N Myrtle Beach | North Myrtle Beach | 43,883 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 8.6 ppt2.2 times the limit | 10 ppt |
| Gcwsd Waccamaw Neck | Pawleys Island | 41,300 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 6.1 ppt1.5 times the limit | 9.1 ppt |
| Dcwa Knightsville | Summerville | 40,141 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 7.2 ppt1.8 times the limit | 8.1 ppt |
| City of West Columbia | West Columbia | 34,028 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 7.4 ppt1.8 times the limit | 7.9 ppt |
| Fort Jackson | Fort Jackson | 31,000 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 6.8 ppt1.7 times the limit | 7.3 ppt |
| Dcws Ashley Phosphate | North Charleston | 26,536 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 6.5 ppt1.6 times the limit | 7.4 ppt |
| Lugoff Elgin Water Auth | Lugoff | 25,783 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 7.0 ppt1.7 times the limit | 9.3 ppt |
| Gaffney Bpw | Gaffney | 24,290 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 17 ppt4.2 times the limit | 18 ppt |
| Town of Lexington | Lexington | 24,284 | PFOS | PFOS 5.5 ppt1.4 times the limit | 5.7 ppt |
| St John'S Water | Johns Island (Sta.) | 22,592 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 7.2 ppt1.8 times the limit | 8.5 ppt |
| City of Camden | Camden | 19,076 | PFOA | PFOA 4.8 ppt1.2 times the limit | 5.2 ppt |
| City of Cayce | Cayce | 17,460 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 6.0 ppt1.5 times the limit | 6.3 ppt |
| City of Union | Union | 13,076 | PFOA | PFOA 4.1 ppt1.02 times the limit | 5.9 ppt |
| Bcwsa East Cooper | Moncks Corner | 12,933 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 6.6 ppt1.6 times the limit | 7.1 ppt |
| Newberry Co W&SA | Newberry | 11,157 | PFOS | PFOS 6.7 ppt1.7 times the limit | 8.1 ppt |
| City of Newberry | Newberry | 10,810 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 9.3 ppt2.3 times the limit | 11 ppt |
| Town of Winnsboro | Winnsboro | 10,391 | PFOS | PFOS 15 ppt3.9 times the limit | 33 ppt |
| Grassy Pond Water Co Inc | Gaffney | 9,895 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 16 ppt3.9 times the limit | 19 ppt |
| Kiawah Island Utility | Johns Island (Sta.) | 9,550 | PFOS | PFOS 6.3 ppt1.6 times the limit | 7.9 ppt |
| Isle of Palms W/S Comm | Isle of Palms | 9,530 | PFOS | PFOS 6.8 ppt1.7 times the limit | 8.0 ppt |
| City of Georgetown | Georgetown | 9,092 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 8.8 ppt2.2 times the limit | 9.7 ppt |
| Shaw AFB | Shaw AFB | 9,000 | PFOS, PFHxS | PFHxS 18 ppt1.8 times the limit | 19 ppt |
| City of Moncks Corner | Moncks Corner | 8,956 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 6.8 ppt1.7 times the limit | 8.0 ppt |
| City of Clinton | Clinton | 8,938 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 6.7 ppt1.7 times the limit | 8.0 ppt |
| McCormick Co W&SA | McCormick | 8,500 | PFOS | PFOS 7.9 ppttwice the limit | 8.8 ppt |
| Bgwc I - 20 | West Columbia | 7,435 | PFOS | PFOS 7.3 ppt1.8 times the limit | 8.3 ppt |
| Meansville Riley W/D | Union | 7,368 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 4.8 ppt1.2 times the limit | 5.2 ppt |
| Batesburg Leesville DPW | Batesburg | 6,814 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 11 ppt2.6 times the limit | 15 ppt |
| City of Belton | Belton | 6,762 | HFPO-DA, Hazard Index | Hazard Index 4.194.2 times the limit | — |
| Town of Seabrook Island | Seabrook | 5,939 | PFOS | PFOS 6.7 ppt1.7 times the limit | 7.5 ppt |
| City of Abbeville | Abbeville | 5,650 | HFPO-DA, Hazard Index | Hazard Index 8.148.1 times the limit | — |
| Draytonville Water Dist | Gaffney | 5,456 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 12 ppt2.9 times the limit | 19 ppt |
| Goucher WD | Pacolet | 5,426 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 15 ppt3.6 times the limit | 17 ppt |
| Donalds - Due West W&SA | Donalds | 5,200 | HFPO-DA, Hazard Index | Hazard Index 1.641.6 times the limit | — |
| City of Folly Beach | Folly Beach | 5,086 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOS 6.5 ppt1.6 times the limit | 8.1 ppt |
| Saluda Co W&S Authority | Saluda | 5,060 | PFOS | PFOS 7.9 ppttwice the limit | 9.7 ppt |
| Town of Honea Path | Honea Path | 4,386 | HFPO-DA, Hazard Index | HFPO-DA 26 ppt2.5 times the limit | 42 ppt |
| Town of Blacksburg | Blacksburg | 3,963 | PFOA, PFOS | PFOA 11 ppt2.7 times the limit | 12 ppt |
| Fripp Island PSD | Fripp Island | 3,536 | PFOS | PFOS 4.6 ppt1.1 times the limit | 5.4 ppt |
| Midcounty Water Dist 2 | Winnsboro | 3,500 | PFOS | PFOS 10 ppt2.5 times the limit | 20 ppt |
| Saluda Cpw | Saluda | 3,390 | PFOA, PFOS, HFPO-DA, Hazard Index | Hazard Index 2.532.5 times the limit | — |
| Town of Ware Shoals | Ware Shoals | 3,174 | PFOS | PFOS 6.5 ppt1.6 times the limit | 8.4 ppt |
| Dcwa Calomet Valley | Summerville | 275 | PFOS | PFOS 5.2 ppt1.3 times the limit | 6.7 ppt |
12 more utilities in South Carolina had a single sample above a limit but no location average above, so they are not listed; each report shows the sample.
Results: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data, file of Oct. 15, 2026, samples from Jan. 3, 2023 to June 17, 2026, averaged by sampling location as EPA’s final UCMR 5 data summary does. Every state, and the full data as a CSV; how this list is made. People served is what each utility reports.
Where to go next
- City of Columbia’s reportEvery PFAS result with its dates, and the certification claim that handles each.Open the report
- Every stateThe national list, the largest utilities above a limit, and the data to download.PFAS above EPA’s limits
- Filters certified for PFASRanked by certification and what they cost over five years.Best water filters for PFAS