Public water system · CO0253600
ActiveRainbow Grocery
At a glance
Rainbow Grocery (PWSID CO0253600) is an active transient non-community water system in Rio Grande County, Colorado. It reports serving 368 people through 72 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as privately owned. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in March 2026.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
368
Service connections
72
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
TNCWS
Transient non-community water system
System record
How does Rainbow Grocery compare with other water systems in Rio Grande County?
By EPA's size categories, Rainbow Grocery is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Rio Grande County has 48 active public water systems. Its population served is about 27% above the county average of 289 people per system, and accounts for 2.7% of the 13,885 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Colorado, the 2,207 active systems average 3,400 people each. Nationally, the average active transient non-community water system reports serving 144 people, so Rainbow Grocery is about 156% above that figure.
What does “transient non-community water system” mean?
A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. Colorado has 956 active transient non-community water systems, 43% of the state's 2,207 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 1,437 Colorado systems (65%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Rainbow Grocery?
EPA lists Rainbow Grocery as privately owned. 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. 40 of the 48 active systems in Rio Grande County (83%) are also privately owned.
Does Rainbow Grocery have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in March 2026. The violations listed here began between July 2005 and March 2026. By type: 9 monitoring and reporting, 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 1 monitoring and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (6 of them). EPA lists 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-06 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherSample Siting Plan Errors (RTCR) · code 5A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2022-07-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-03-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2007-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
The 12 most recent 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.
Rainbow Grocery: frequently asked questions
Who runs Rainbow Grocery?
Rainbow Grocery (PWSID CO0253600) is a transient non-community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the CO state drinking water program.
How many people does Rainbow Grocery serve?
Rainbow Grocery reports serving 368 people through 72 service connections in Rio Grande County, Colorado.
Where does Rainbow Grocery get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does Rainbow Grocery have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in March 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 Rainbow Grocery'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. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in March 2026. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the CO state drinking water program.
Where can I find Rainbow Grocery's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. Rainbow Grocery is a transient non-community water system, so it is not required to publish one; like every public water system, it must notify the people it serves about violations under EPA's public notification rules.
Other water systems in Rio Grande County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monte Vista City of | Rio Grande | 4,600 | Community | Groundwater |
| Fun Valley Resort | Rio Grande | 1,723 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Del Norte Town of | Rio Grande | 1,429 | Community | Groundwater |
| South Fork Rickel Park | Rio Grande | 804 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| South Fork West Municipal Town of | Rio Grande | 566 | Community | Groundwater |
| Sargent Elem and New High School Re33 | Rio Grande | 426 | Non-transient non-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, “Rainbow Grocery, PWSID CO0253600, Colorado”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/colorado/rainbow-grocery-co0253600 (data as of October 1, 2026).