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ESSEX WATER SUPPLY

PWS ID: IA7349023 · ESSEX, Iowa 51638

ESSEX WATER SUPPLY serves 722 people in ESSEX, Iowa using Groundwater water sources. It has 154 recorded EPA violations, including 66 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.

Water Quality Snapshot: ESSEX WATER SUPPLY

ESSEX WATER SUPPLY is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 722 residents in ESSEX, Iowa (Page County) through 350 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 154 total violations for this system , of which 66 (43%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 62 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2019.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Nitrate, recorded in 62 violations (MCL, health-based). This system has not yet been sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, so no PFAS detection data is available here.

Across Iowa, EPA tracks 1,795 public water systems serving 3,114,444 people, with 138,271 cumulative violations and 27,946 health-based violations on record. About 95% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 77 violations. ESSEX WATER SUPPLY's 154 violations sit above the Iowa average. Statewide, 127 of 152 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (83.6%). 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
722
Total Violations
154
Health-Based Violations
66
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
350
County
Page
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
66
Monitoring Violations
62
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Nitrate MCL 62 1996
Nitrate MR 54 1994
Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 4 2019
Coliform (TCR) MCL 4 1996
Arsenic MR 4 2002

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 ESSEX WATER SUPPLY.

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 IA7349023 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Iowa Drinking Water Authority

Iowa's primacy agency administers the Safe Drinking Water Act locally. Search EPA SDWIS for the current state contact, or use the state's public health or environment department portal.

Find IA regulator via EPA SDWIS

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
2019 Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 4 SDWIS / IA7349023 / 8000
2002 Arsenic MR 4 SDWIS / IA7349023 / 1005
1996 Nitrate MCL 62 SDWIS / IA7349023 / 1040
1996 Coliform (TCR) MCL 4 SDWIS / IA7349023 / 3100
1994 Nitrate MR 54 SDWIS / IA7349023 / 1040

How ESSEX WATER SUPPLY Compares

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

Metric ESSEX WATER SUPPLY Iowa avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 154 77 SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 66 15.6 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 83.6% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 722 1,735 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 1,795 regulated public water systems in Iowa.

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
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ESSEX WATER SUPPLY water safe to drink?
ESSEX WATER SUPPLY (PWS ID: IA7349023) has 154 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 722 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does ESSEX WATER SUPPLY serve?
ESSEX WATER SUPPLY serves 722 people in ESSEX, Iowa. It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 350 service connections.
What type of violations does ESSEX WATER SUPPLY have?
ESSEX WATER SUPPLY has 154 total violations: 66 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 62 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in ESSEX WATER SUPPLY water?
No PFAS testing data is available for ESSEX WATER SUPPLY under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.
What water source does ESSEX WATER SUPPLY use?
ESSEX WATER SUPPLY uses Groundwater 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.

Explore PlainWater

Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. This data is provided for informational purposes only.

Related

Data sourced from $official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by Kiznis Studio Editorial