Public water system · IL0250050
ActiveClay City
At a glance
Clay City (PWSID IL0250050) is an active community water system in Clay County, Illinois. It reports serving 957 people through 501 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
957
Service connections
501
Primary source
GWP
Purchased groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Clay City compare with other water systems in Clay County?
By EPA's size categories, Clay City is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Clay County has 8 active public water systems, and Clay City is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 25% below the county average of 1,270 people per system, and accounts for 9.4% of the 10,156 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Illinois, the 3,872 active systems average 3,204 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Clay City 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. Illinois has 1,773 active community water systems, 46% of the state's 3,872 active systems. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 348 Illinois systems (9%) list purchased groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Clay City?
EPA lists Clay City as owned by a local government. The IL state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 6 of the 8 active systems in Clay County (75%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Clay City have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025. The violations listed here began between October 2004 and January 2025. By type: 8 monitoring and reporting, 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 1 monitoring and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Chlorine (2 of them). EPA lists 9 as resolved and 3 as archived. 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. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Archived |
| 2025-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Archived |
| 2024-06-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-10-06 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-10-09 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2005-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Carbon, totalcode 2920 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Archived |
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.
Clay City: frequently asked questions
Who runs Clay City?
Clay City (PWSID IL0250050) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IL state drinking water program.
How many people does Clay City serve?
Clay City reports serving 957 people through 501 service connections in Clay County, Illinois.
Where does Clay City get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased groundwater. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Clay City 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 January 2025. 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 Clay City'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 January 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IL state drinking water program.
Where can I find Clay City's water quality report?
As a community water system, Clay City 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 Clay County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flora | Clay | 5,233 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Clay County Water Inc. | Clay | 2,015 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Louisville | Clay | 1,201 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Xenia | Clay | 542 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Iola | Clay | 158 | Community | Groundwater |
| Priceless #447 | Clay | 25 | Transient non-community | Purchased 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, “Clay City, PWSID IL0250050, Illinois”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/illinois/clay-city-il0250050 (data as of October 1, 2026).