Public water system · IL1730050
ActiveCowden
At a glance
Cowden (PWSID IL1730050) is an active community water system in Shelby County, Illinois. It reports serving 612 people through 312 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 10 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
612
Service connections
312
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Cowden compare with other water systems in Shelby County?
By EPA's size categories, Cowden is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Shelby County has 12 active public water systems, and Cowden is the 6th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 39% below the county average of 1,004 people per system, and accounts for 5.1% of the 12,045 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 Cowden 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. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 2,808 Illinois systems (73%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Cowden?
EPA lists Cowden 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. 9 of the 12 active systems in Shelby County (75%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Cowden have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 10 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. The violations listed here began between June 1977 and July 2025. By type: 5 monitoring and reporting, 4 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Consumer Confidence Rule (4 of them). EPA lists 6 as resolved, 3 as archived 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. 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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2020-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2014-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-02-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 2001-02-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1977-06-30 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | No | Archived |
All 10 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.
Cowden: frequently asked questions
Who runs Cowden?
Cowden (PWSID IL1730050) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IL state drinking water program.
How many people does Cowden serve?
Cowden reports serving 612 people through 312 service connections in Shelby County, Illinois.
Where does Cowden 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 Cowden have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 10 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in July 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 Cowden'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 10 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in July 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 Cowden's water quality report?
As a community water system, Cowden 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 Shelby County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelbyville | Shelby | 5,600 | Community | Groundwater |
| Moweaqua | Shelby | 1,785 | Community | Groundwater |
| Windsor | Shelby | 1,200 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Findlay | Shelby | 750 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Stewardson | Shelby | 734 | Community | Groundwater |
| Tower Hill | Shelby | 500 | Community | Purchased surface water |
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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, “Cowden, PWSID IL1730050, Illinois”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/illinois/cowden-il1730050 (data as of October 1, 2026).