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BROKEN BOW, CITY OF

PWS ID: NE3104105 · BROKEN BOW, Nebraska 68822

BROKEN BOW, CITY OF serves 3,568 people in BROKEN BOW, Nebraska using Groundwater water sources. It has 20 recorded EPA violations, including 18 health-based violations. PFAS "forever chemicals" were detected in UCMR5 testing (1 compound found).

Water Quality Snapshot: BROKEN BOW, CITY OF

BROKEN BOW, CITY OF is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 3,568 residents in BROKEN BOW, Nebraska (Custer County) through 1,707 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 20 total violations for this system , of which 18 (90%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 1 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2012.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Trichloroethylene, recorded in 9 violations (MCL, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 1 PFAS compound was detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 45.5 ppt. PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Nebraska, EPA tracks 1,309 public water systems serving 1,798,088 people, with 49,989 cumulative violations and 32,716 health-based violations on record. About 89% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 38.2 violations. BROKEN BOW, CITY OF's 20 violations sit below the Nebraska average. Statewide, 52 of 53 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (98.1%). All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

PFAS Detected

1 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Population Served
3,568
Total Violations
20
Health-Based Violations
18
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
1,707
County
Custer
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
18
Monitoring Violations
1
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Trichloroethylene MCL 9 2003
Arsenic MCL 5 2012
Coliform (TCR) MCL 4 1999
Lead and Copper Rule MR 1 1992

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 16 of 480 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFUnA 8/15/2023 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/15/2023 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
ADONA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeS 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
NFDHA 8/15/2023 <0.02 µg/L 0.02 µg/L Not Detected
PFEESA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMBA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFDoA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMPA 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFOA 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFOS 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFNA 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFBS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFDA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFBA 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFMPA 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMBA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFEESA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
NFDHA 8/15/2023 <0.02 µg/L 0.02 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFBA 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeS 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFNA 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFBS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFOS 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFOA 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFDA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFDoA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFUnA 8/15/2023 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/15/2023 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
ADONA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L 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 BROKEN BOW, 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 NE3104105 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Nebraska Drinking Water Authority

Nebraska'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 NE 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
2012 Arsenic MCL 5 SDWIS / NE3104105 / 1005
2003 Trichloroethylene MCL 9 SDWIS / NE3104105 / 2984
1999 Coliform (TCR) MCL 4 SDWIS / NE3104105 / 3100
1992 Lead and Copper Rule MR 1 SDWIS / NE3104105 / 5000

How BROKEN BOW, CITY OF Compares

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

Metric BROKEN BOW, CITY OF Nebraska avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 20 38.2 SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 18 25 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 1 compound 98.1% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 3,568 1,374 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 1,309 regulated public water systems in Nebraska.

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 BROKEN BOW, CITY OF water safe to drink? ▼
BROKEN BOW, CITY OF (PWS ID: NE3104105) has 20 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 1 PFAS compound found. This system serves 3,568 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does BROKEN BOW, CITY OF serve? ▼
BROKEN BOW, CITY OF serves 3,568 people in BROKEN BOW, Nebraska. It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 1,707 service connections.
What type of violations does BROKEN BOW, CITY OF have? ▼
BROKEN BOW, CITY OF has 20 total violations: 18 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 1 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in BROKEN BOW, CITY OF water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 1 PFAS compound in BROKEN BOW, CITY OF's water supply: lithium. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does BROKEN BOW, CITY OF use? ▼
BROKEN BOW, CITY OF 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.

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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.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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