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Community Water System · PWS CO0138045

Sterling City Of

Sterling, Colorado 80751 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 15,100 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

15,100
People served
279
EPA violations
130
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 279 drinking-water violations at Sterling City Of, 47% of them health-based - above the Colorado per-system average.

279
Total EPA violations on record
47%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
15,100
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Sterling City Of

Sterling City Of is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 15,100 residents in Sterling, Colorado (Logan County) through 4,655 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 279 total violations for this system , of which 130 (47%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 138 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2023.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Combined Uranium, recorded in 72 violations (MCL, health-based). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

Across Colorado, EPA tracks 2,193 public water systems serving 7,473,456 people, with 238,796 cumulative violations and 30,589 health-based violations on record. About 93% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 108.9 violations. Statewide, 98 of 163 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (60.1%).

Sterling City Of's 279 violations sit above the Colorado average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

Population Served
15,100
Total Violations
279
Health-Based Violations
130
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
4,655
County
Logan
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
130
Monitoring Violations
138
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Combined Uranium MCL 72 2012
TTHM MCL 49 2013
Nitrate MR 11 2013
Lead and Copper Rule MR 9 2022
Cryptosporidium MR 9 2023
Coliform (TCR) MCL 7 2010
Cadmium MR 7 2009
Chromium MR 7 2009
Mercury MR 7 2009
Antimony, Total MR 7 2009
Beryllium, Total MR 7 2009
Arsenic MR 7 2009
Nickel MR 7 2009
Thallium, Total MR 7 2009
Selenium MR 7 2009
Barium MR 7 2009
Combined Uranium MR 6 2009
Public Notice Other 6 2021
Turbidity MR 6 2023
E. COLI MR 6 2023
Fluoride MR 3 2009
Xylenes, Total MR 3 2009
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U MR 3 2009
Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 3 2020
Chlorine MR 3 2020
Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 3 2020
Coliform (TCR) MR 3 1994
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 2 2006
Nitrate-Nitrite MCL 2 1985

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFHpS 8/7/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/7/2025 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/7/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/7/2025 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/7/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/7/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 8/7/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/7/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/7/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/7/2025 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/7/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/7/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 8/7/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/7/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/7/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/7/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/7/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 8/7/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 8/7/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 8/7/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/7/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 8/7/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/7/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/7/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/7/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 8/7/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 8/7/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/7/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/7/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 4/21/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 4/21/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 4/21/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 4/21/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 4/21/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 4/21/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 4/21/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 4/21/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 4/21/2025 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 4/21/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 4/21/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 4/21/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 4/21/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 4/21/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 4/21/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 4/21/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 4/21/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 4/21/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 4/21/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 4/21/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 4/21/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for Sterling City Of.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID CO0138045 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Colorado Drinking Water Authority

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Water Quality Control is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects Sterling City Of under EPA-delegated authority.

Open CO regulator portal

Source: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Water Quality Control

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2023 Cryptosporidium MR 9 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 3015
2023 Turbidity MR 6 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 0100
2023 E. COLI MR 6 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 3014
2022 Lead and Copper Rule MR 9 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 5000
2021 Public Notice Other 6 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 7500
2020 Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 3 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 0200
2020 Chlorine MR 3 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 0999
2020 Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 3 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 8000
2013 TTHM MCL 49 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 2950
2013 Nitrate MR 11 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 1040
2012 Combined Uranium MCL 72 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 4006
2010 Coliform (TCR) MCL 7 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 3100
2009 Cadmium MR 7 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 1015
2009 Chromium MR 7 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 1020
2009 Mercury MR 7 SDWIS / CO0138045 / 1035

How Sterling City Of Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric Sterling City Of Colorado avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 279 108.9 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 130 13.9 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 60.1% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 15,100 3,408 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 2,193 regulated public water systems in Colorado.

Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sterling City Of water safe to drink?
Sterling City Of (PWS ID: CO0138045) has 279 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 15,100 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Sterling City Of serve?
Sterling City Of serves 15,100 people in Sterling, Colorado. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 4,655 service connections.
What type of violations does Sterling City Of have?
Sterling City Of has 279 total violations: 130 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 138 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Sterling City Of water?
No. Sterling City Of was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Sterling City Of use?
Sterling City Of uses Surface Water as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.
Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.