STERLING, CITY OF
PWS ID: KS2015902 · STERLING, Kansas 67579-0287
STERLING, CITY OF serves 2,318 people in STERLING, Kansas using Groundwater water sources. It has 60 recorded EPA violations, including 25 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.
Water Quality Snapshot: STERLING, CITY OF
STERLING, CITY OF is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 2,318 residents in STERLING, Kansas (Rice County) through 995 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 60 total violations for this system , of which 25 (42%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 21 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2025.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Nitrate, recorded in 21 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 Kansas, EPA tracks 957 public water systems serving 2,894,673 people, with 84,344 cumulative violations and 33,424 health-based violations on record. About 99% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 88.1 violations. STERLING, CITY OF's 60 violations sit below the Kansas average. Statewide, 89 of 103 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (86.4%). All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.
System Details
- System Type
- Community
- Owner Type
- Local
- Connections
- 995
- County
- Rice
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 25
- Monitoring Violations
- 21
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 0
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | MCL | 21 | 2001 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 16 | 2004 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 5 | 2025 |
| Combined Uranium | MCL | 4 | 2011 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 2 | 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 STERLING, CITY OF.
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 KS2015902 on SDWISSource: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search
Kansas Drinking Water Authority
Kansas'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 KS regulator via EPA SDWISViolation 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 5 | SDWIS / KS2015902 / 5000 |
| 2011 | Combined Uranium | MCL | 4 | SDWIS / KS2015902 / 4006 |
| 2004 | Coliform (TCR) | MR | 16 | SDWIS / KS2015902 / 3100 |
| 2002 | Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 2 | SDWIS / KS2015902 / 7000 |
| 2001 | Nitrate | MCL | 21 | SDWIS / KS2015902 / 1040 |
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 | Kansas avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 60 | 88.1 | SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 25 | 34.9 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | None | 86.4% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 2,318 | 3,025 | Sizing context for compliance burden |
Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 957 regulated public water systems in Kansas.
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
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Related Data for Kansas
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.