Is Viola water safe to drink?

Viola (PWS ID: IL1310450) has 861 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. EPA SDWIS lists this system's service population as 970 people using Groundwater sources.

How many people does Viola serve?

EPA SDWIS reports that Viola serves 970 people (this public water system's service population, not the municipal population of Viola or any other city). It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 458 service connections. The operator address is listed in Viola, Illinois.

What type of violations does Viola have?

Viola has 861 total violations: 179 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 573 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.

Has PFAS been detected in Viola water?

No PFAS testing data is available for Viola under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

What water source does Viola use?

Viola 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.

Where does Viola sit among U.S. public water systems?

According to EPA SDWIS population_served among sitemap-advertised systems (serving 500+), Viola ranks #20,148 of 29,740 by people served, and #897 of 1,310 in Illinois. Ordinals use population_served DESC among systems serving 500+ (the sitemap cohort). See /methodology#corpus-placement.

How does Viola's violation count compare nationally?

Viola has 861 recorded EPA SDWIS violations, fewer than 1% of the 29,740 public water systems serving 500 or more people nationwide (the same sitemap cohort used for the corpus-placement ranking above). 99% of that cohort has fewer violations than Viola. A system can have zero recorded violations and still be actively monitored, and a high violation count often reflects a system that reports thoroughly, not necessarily one with worse water.

States → Illinois

Community Water System · PWS IL1310450

Viola

Operator location Viola, Illinois - smaller served population (≤ 999) at 970 people served; 861 SDWIS violations on record from groundwater sources.

Compiled by PlainWater · May 15, 2026

970
People served (this PWS) Smaller third of systems: 861
EPA violations (this PWS) Upper third of systems: 179
Health-based (this PWS) Middle third by health-based share: Untested
UCMR5 (this PWS) No UCMR5 result

Follow published updates (RSS)

Viola standing, high SDWIS violation third

970 people served (SDWIS) - smaller served population (≤ 999). Corpus terciles use 29,740 systems serving 500+ (the sitemap cohort). Health-based share 21% is middle-third health share (≤ 23%). Population rank #20,148 of 29,740 among systems serving 500+.

The verdict

Viola sits in the upper third of the sitemap cohort by violation count (861), so the tables below sample a dense compliance trail rather than a near-clean ledger. Population served is smaller (970; smaller served population (≤ 999)), so each violation row represents a compact service footprint. Health-based share is 21% (middle-third health share (≤ 23%)). No UCMR5 PFAS test appears for this system in this extract.

#20,148 of 29,740
Population · /systems: #897 of 1,310
Population · IL: 861
Total EPA violations on record: 21%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)

Population ordinals match the sitemap cohort (systems serving 500+, population_served DESC). See methodology · corpus placement.

Water Safety Score

0/100

Viola

Based on EPA SDWIS violation history and UCMR5 PFAS testing only, not water taste, odor, infrastructure age, or contaminants outside the federally tracked set.

Health-based violations F

179

EPA SDWIS health-based violations on record (MCL, MRDL, treatment technique)

Monitoring & reporting violations F

682

Non-health SDWIS violations (monitoring, reporting, and other compliance)

PFAS contamination N/A

Not UCMR5-tested

Highest PFAS compound level detected in UCMR5 testing

System Details

System Type: Community
Owner Type: Local
Connections: 458
County: Mercer
School/Daycare: No
MCL Violations: 179
Monitoring Violations: 573
Treatment Tech Violations: 0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant	Category	Count	Latest
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)	MCL	142	2006
Coliform (TCR)	MR	55	2011
Public Notice	Other	44	2012
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U	MCL	32	2005
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene	MR	27	1993
o-Dichlorobenzene	MR	27	1993
1,1-Dichloroethylene	MR	27	1993
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene	MR	27	1993
1,2-Dichloroethane	MR	27	1993
1,1,1-Trichloroethane	MR	27	1993
Carbon tetrachloride	MR	27	1993
1,2-Dichloropropane	MR	27	1993
Trichloroethylene	MR	27	1993
CHLOROBENZENE	MR	27	1993
Benzene	MR	27	1993
Toluene	MR	27	1993
Xylenes, Total	MR	27	1993
Tetrachloroethylene	MR	27	1993
Ethylbenzene	MR	27	1993
p-Dichlorobenzene	MR	27	1993
Styrene	MR	26	1993
Consumer Confidence Rule	Other	22	2010
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)	MR	19	2005
Combined Uranium	MR	19	2005
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U	MR	17	2004
Coliform (TCR)	MCL	5	1999
Chlorine	MR	4	2011
Lead and Copper Rule	MR	1	1993

Violation Count vs. the National Corpus

Viola has 861 recorded EPA violations, 99% of the 29,740 public water systems serving 500+ people nationwide carry fewer, and 1% carry more. 21% of this system's own violations are health-based (179 of 861), and it ranks #20,148 of 29,740 by population served among that same cohort.

EPA violations vs. the national water-system corpus

Public water systems serving 500+ people (EPA SDWIS)

861 Higher than most more violations than 99% of 29,740 water systems

the national water-system corpus, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more water systems. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source EPA SDWIS · 2026-05-15

How many violations vs. how serious, among peer systems

Viola plotted against 29 peer public water systems (500+ people served), by total violation count (x) and the share of those violations that are health-based (y). The crosshair sits at this sample's own median on each axis. A high violation count does not automatically mean a serious record: most monitoring and reporting violations are minor, not health-based.

30 public water systems (500+ people served), EPA SDWIS current release.

How to read this

Each dot is one public water system; the highlighted dot is Viola. A system to the right has more recorded violations; a system higher up has a larger share of those violations classified health-based rather than monitoring or reporting.

Rare but serious: few violations, but most of them are health-based.
Frequent, mostly paperwork: many violations, but mostly monitoring or reporting, not health-based.
Clean record: below-median on both counts, the tinted corner.

View all 30 systems as a list

City of Ballinger: 372 violations, 85% health-based
Nooksack Valley Water Association: 16 violations, 31% health-based
Montgomery Co RWD 12: 7 violations, 29% health-based
Irvin Water District #6: 11 violations, 27% health-based
Ticonderoga WD: 47 violations, 26% health-based
Pine Valley Plantation: 37 violations, 24% health-based
Viola: 861 violations, 21% health-based (this system)
McLouth, City Of: 29 violations, 17% health-based
Kipling Oaks 1: 25 violations, 16% health-based
South Deerfield Water Supply District: 96 violations, 16% health-based
Sunset Ridge Water District: 82 violations, 15% health-based
Orange Water Dept: 136 violations, 14% health-based
Mount Pleasant Water Sys #1: 167 violations, 11% health-based
Lake Gibson Estates: 42 violations, 2% health-based
Benson Culinary Improvement District: 212 violations, 1% health-based
Conemaugh Twp Muni Auth: 567 violations, 1% health-based
Miccosukee Service Plaza: 0 violations, 0% health-based
Brazoria - Fort Bend Counties MUD 3: 0 violations, 0% health-based
Tanglewilde Thompson Place 600: 2 violations, 0% health-based
Center Water Co: 5 violations, 0% health-based
Spring Mills Elem School/Hvs: 9 violations, 0% health-based
Great Bend Industrial Park: 14 violations, 0% health-based
Glen Park Village: 19 violations, 0% health-based
Camp Is-Sho-Da: 22 violations, 0% health-based
Hamilton: 33 violations, 0% health-based
Town of Welaka: 54 violations, 0% health-based
Township of Blairstown Dpw: 61 violations, 0% health-based
McIntosh Water & Fire Pro Authority: 71 violations, 0% health-based
Clarkdale Municipal Water System: 114 violations, 0% health-based
Eureka Water Association: 273 violations, 0% health-based

Population served record for Viola

EPA SDWIS lists 970 people served and 458 connections for this PWS, confirm the service-area footprint on the federal report before comparing to municipal census totals.

EPA SDWIS · PWS IL1310450 IL primacy agency

Sources: EPA SDWIS · Illinois EPA, Bureau of Water

Nationwide peers

861 violations · 970 served: nearest cross-state SDWIS matches.

Cross-state systems with comparable violation load

Nearest cross-state community systems (500+ served) by total SDWIS violations on record.

4 peers

Cross-state systems with smaller service footprints

Nearest cross-state systems by EPA SDWIS population_served (same 500+ sitemap gate).

4 peers

What to do with Viola

Use this system's EPA-reported record as a starting filter, not a final verdict.

See how every tracked system in Illinois compares on the same EPA violation measures. Illinois systems
Check whether PFAS was detected at this system under UCMR5 testing. PFAS guide
Find and compare another public water system by name or PWSID. Search systems

EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 figures are informational only, not a substitute for a certified lab test of your own tap water.

Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater

Compiled by PlainWater, Drinking Water Quality Editorial Process · May 15, 2026

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