Union County Water is proud to provide drinking water that meets or exceeds all state and federal standards for water quality. This section of our website explains where our water comes from, how our system operates, and what we're doing to remain in compliance or ahead of industry standards for water operations. 

Where does our water come from? 

Our drinking water comes from two natural sources: the Catawba River and Lake Tillery. The water that is sourced from the Catawba River - west of Union County - is treated at the Catawba River Water Supply Project - a water treatment plant in Van Wyck, SC, that we co-own with our partners at the Lancaster County Water and Sewer District. Union County Water does not operate the Catawba plant directly, but we often convey messages from or about this plant to our customers. Our partners at the Catawba plant welcome group tours of their facility; call 803-286-5949 to schedule a group tour and learn more about the plant's operations.

The drinking water that we source from Lake Tillery - east of Union County - is treated at the Yadkin River Water Treatment Plant, which is wholly owned and operated by Union County Water. This plant first began providing water to our customers in 2024. We also welcome group tours of our plant and appreciate the opportunity to help customers learn more about the water treatment process. Visit our Yadkin page to learn more about this plant and the national acclaim that the broader Yadkin Regional Water Supply Project brought to Union County.  

As your water service provider, we provide you with an annual report about the drinking water that is sourced from each location. These reports are published on our website and emailed to our customers annually in June. 

Additional Information about Water Operations

This section of our website contains a wide variety of information about our Water Operations team, who work to ensure the reliable water service that you depend on every day. We manage programs that protect the quality of our system, such as our Cross Connection Control Program or that ensure we are following best practices for compliance with Emerging Regulatory Changes in water testing and treatment. Our Fluoride page explains our practices with fluoridation, and our Lead & Copper page provides an overview of our work to remain fully compliant with EPA standards. Other pages in this section are relevant only seasonally, like our Annual Preventive Maintenance period in March and early April and our Seasonal Taste and Odor page that is applicable for some customers in spring and fall.