Public water system · CO0134466
ActiveLa Plata West Water Authority
At a glance
La Plata West Water Authority (PWSID CO0134466) is an active community water system in La Plata County, Colorado. It reports serving 354 people through 164 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as under public/private ownership. EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
354
Service connections
164
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does La Plata West Water Authority compare with other water systems in La Plata County?
By EPA's size categories, La Plata West Water Authority is a very small system (500 people or fewer). La Plata County has 108 active public water systems. Its population served is about 39% below the county average of 577 people per system, and accounts for 0.6% of the 62,281 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Colorado, the 2,207 active systems average 3,400 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so La Plata West Water Authority is well below that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Colorado has 1,068 active community water systems, 48% of the state's 2,207 active systems. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 337 Colorado systems (15%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates La Plata West Water Authority?
EPA lists La Plata West Water Authority as under public/private ownership. The CO state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 1 of the 108 active systems in La Plata County (0.9%) are also under public/private ownership.
Does La Plata West Water Authority have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. The violations listed here began between July 2021 and January 2026. By type: 4 monitoring and reporting, 3 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Lead and Copper Rule (4 of them). EPA lists 7 as resolved and 1 as unaddressed. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed. Unaddressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is not yet covered by formal enforcement.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2025-12-19 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation without NPDWR Violation · code 76 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-10-31 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
All 8 violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
La Plata West Water Authority: frequently asked questions
Who runs La Plata West Water Authority?
La Plata West Water Authority (PWSID CO0134466) is a community water system under public/private ownership. It is regulated by the CO state drinking water program.
How many people does La Plata West Water Authority serve?
La Plata West Water Authority reports serving 354 people through 164 service connections in La Plata County, Colorado.
Where does La Plata West Water Authority get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does La Plata West Water Authority have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is La Plata West Water Authority's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the CO state drinking water program.
Where can I find La Plata West Water Authority's water quality report?
As a community water system, La Plata West Water Authority must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in La Plata County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durango City of | La Plata | 33,787 | Community | Surface water |
| Animas Wc | La Plata | 3,096 | Community | Groundwater |
| Bayfield Town of | La Plata | 2,300 | Community | Surface water |
| Forest Lakes Md | La Plata | 1,699 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lake Durango Wa | La Plata | 1,577 | Community | Surface water |
| Purgatory Md | La Plata | 1,364 | Community | Groundwater |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “La Plata West Water Authority, PWSID CO0134466, Colorado”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/colorado/la-plata-west-water-authority-co0134466 (data as of October 1, 2026).