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Community Water System · PWS IN5290001

Bluffton Utilities Water Dept

Bluffton, Indiana 46714 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 10,298 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

10,298
People served
12
EPA violations
0
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 12 drinking-water violations at Bluffton Utilities Water Dept - below the Indiana per-system average.

12
Total EPA violations on record
0%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
10,298
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Bluffton Utilities Water Dept

Bluffton Utilities Water Dept is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 10,298 residents in Bluffton, Indiana (Wells County) through 4,100 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 12 total violations for this system , of which 0 (0%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 9 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2022.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Revised Total Coliform Rule, recorded in 3 violations (Other). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

Across Indiana, EPA tracks 3,967 public water systems serving 5,774,616 people, with 352,710 cumulative violations and 35,932 health-based violations on record. About 96% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 88.9 violations. Statewide, 93 of 229 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (40.6%).

Bluffton Utilities Water Dept's 12 violations sit below the Indiana 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
10,298
Total Violations
12
Health-Based Violations
0
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
4,100
County
Wells
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
0
Monitoring Violations
9
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Revised Total Coliform Rule Other 3 2022
Barium MR 1 1981
Arsenic MR 1 1981
Selenium MR 1 1981
Chromium MR 1 1981
Fluoride MR 1 1981
Mercury MR 1 1981
Cadmium MR 1 1981
Nitrate MR 1 1981
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U MR 1 1980

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 58 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFHxS 5/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 5/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 5/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 5/3/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 5/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 5/3/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 5/3/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 5/3/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 5/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 5/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 5/3/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 5/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 5/3/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 5/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 5/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 5/3/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 5/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 5/3/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 5/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 5/3/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 5/3/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 5/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 5/3/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 5/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 5/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 5/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 5/3/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 5/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 5/3/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 11/8/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 11/8/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 11/8/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 11/8/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 11/8/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 11/8/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 11/8/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 11/8/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 11/8/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 11/8/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 11/8/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 11/8/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 11/8/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 11/8/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 11/8/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 11/8/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 11/8/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 11/8/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 11/8/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 11/8/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 11/8/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 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 Bluffton Utilities Water Dept.

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 IN5290001 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Indiana Drinking Water Authority

Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Drinking Water Branch is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects Bluffton Utilities Water Dept under EPA-delegated authority.

Open IN regulator portal

Source: Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Drinking Water Branch

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
2022 Revised Total Coliform Rule Other 3 SDWIS / IN5290001 / 8000
1981 Barium MR 1 SDWIS / IN5290001 / 1010
1981 Arsenic MR 1 SDWIS / IN5290001 / 1005
1981 Selenium MR 1 SDWIS / IN5290001 / 1045
1981 Chromium MR 1 SDWIS / IN5290001 / 1020
1981 Fluoride MR 1 SDWIS / IN5290001 / 1025
1981 Mercury MR 1 SDWIS / IN5290001 / 1035
1981 Cadmium MR 1 SDWIS / IN5290001 / 1015
1981 Nitrate MR 1 SDWIS / IN5290001 / 1040
1980 Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U MR 1 SDWIS / IN5290001 / 4000

How Bluffton Utilities Water Dept Compares

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

Metric Bluffton Utilities Water Dept Indiana avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 12 88.9 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 0 9.1 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 40.6% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 10,298 1,456 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 3,967 regulated public water systems in Indiana.

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 Bluffton Utilities Water Dept water safe to drink?
Bluffton Utilities Water Dept (PWS ID: IN5290001) has 12 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 10,298 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does Bluffton Utilities Water Dept serve?
Bluffton Utilities Water Dept serves 10,298 people in Bluffton, Indiana. It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 4,100 service connections.
What type of violations does Bluffton Utilities Water Dept have?
Bluffton Utilities Water Dept has 12 total violations: 0 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 9 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Bluffton Utilities Water Dept water?
No. Bluffton Utilities Water Dept was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Bluffton Utilities Water Dept use?
Bluffton Utilities Water Dept 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.
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.