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Community Water System · PWS NV0000038

Ely Municipal Water Department

Ely, Nevada 89883 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 5,000 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

5,000
People served
358
EPA violations
12
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 358 drinking-water violations at Ely Municipal Water Department, 3% of them health-based - above the Nevada per-system average.

358
Total EPA violations on record
3%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
5,000
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Ely Municipal Water Department

Ely Municipal Water Department is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 5,000 residents in Ely, Nevada (White Pine County) through 2,301 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 358 total violations for this system , of which 12 (3%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 333 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 26 violations (MR). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

Across Nevada, EPA tracks 589 public water systems serving 3,455,285 people, with 56,333 cumulative violations and 6,657 health-based violations on record. About 93% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 95.6 violations. Statewide, 50 of 57 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (87.7%).

Ely Municipal Water Department's 358 violations sit above the Nevada 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
5,000
Total Violations
358
Health-Based Violations
12
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
2,301
County
White Pine
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
12
Monitoring Violations
333
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Nitrate MR 26 2024
TTHM MR 13 2017
Coliform (TCR) MCL 12 2015
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 9 2017
Vinyl chloride MR 9 2017
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 9 2017
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 9 2017
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 9 2017
1,2-Dichloropropane MR 9 2017
Toluene MR 9 2017
Ethylbenzene MR 9 2017
Styrene MR 9 2017
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 9 2017
Xylenes, Total MR 9 2017
DICHLOROMETHANE MR 9 2017
o-Dichlorobenzene MR 9 2017
1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 9 2017
CHLOROBENZENE MR 9 2017
Benzene MR 9 2017
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 9 2017
p-Dichlorobenzene MR 9 2017
Carbon tetrachloride MR 9 2017
1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 9 2017
Tetrachloroethylene MR 9 2017
Trichloroethylene MR 9 2017
ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE MR 6 2011
1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE MR 6 2011
Toxaphene MR 6 2011
BHC-GAMMA MR 6 2011
Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) MR 6 2011

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 348 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFTA 6/7/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 6/7/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 6/7/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 6/7/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 4/4/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 4/4/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 4/4/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 4/4/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 4/4/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 4/4/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 4/4/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 4/4/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 4/4/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 4/4/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 4/4/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 4/4/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 4/4/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 4/4/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 4/4/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 4/4/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 4/4/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 4/4/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 4/4/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 4/4/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 4/4/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 4/4/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 4/4/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 4/4/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 4/4/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 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 Ely Municipal Water Department.

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 NV0000038 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Nevada Drinking Water Authority

Nevada'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 NV 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
2025 Diquat MR 4 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2032
2025 Benzo(a)pyrene MR 1 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2306
2024 Nitrate MR 26 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 1040
2017 TTHM MR 13 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2950
2017 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 9 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2378
2017 Vinyl chloride MR 9 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2976
2017 1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 9 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2977
2017 trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 9 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2979
2017 1,2-Dichloroethane MR 9 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2980
2017 1,2-Dichloropropane MR 9 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2983
2017 Toluene MR 9 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2991
2017 Ethylbenzene MR 9 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2992
2017 Styrene MR 9 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2996
2017 cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 9 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2380
2017 Xylenes, Total MR 9 SDWIS / NV0000038 / 2955

How Ely Municipal Water Department Compares

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

Metric Ely Municipal Water Department Nevada avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 358 95.6 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 12 11.3 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 87.7% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 5,000 5,866 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 589 regulated public water systems in Nevada.

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 Ely Municipal Water Department water safe to drink?
Ely Municipal Water Department (PWS ID: NV0000038) has 358 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 5,000 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does Ely Municipal Water Department serve?
Ely Municipal Water Department serves 5,000 people in Ely, Nevada. It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 2,301 service connections.
What type of violations does Ely Municipal Water Department have?
Ely Municipal Water Department has 358 total violations: 12 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 333 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Ely Municipal Water Department water?
No. Ely Municipal Water Department was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Ely Municipal Water Department use?
Ely Municipal Water Department 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.