Public water system · IL0290020
ActiveEmbarras Area Water District
At a glance
Embarras Area Water District (PWSID IL0290020) is an active community water system in Coles County, Illinois. It reports serving 3,750 people through 1,500 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased groundwater, and EPA lists it as privately owned. EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2019.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
3,750
Service connections
1,500
Primary source
GWP
Purchased groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Embarras Area Water District compare with other water systems in Coles County?
By EPA's size categories, Embarras Area Water District is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Coles County has 9 active public water systems, and Embarras Area Water District is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 30% below the county average of 5,392 people per system, and accounts for 7.7% of the 48,528 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 Embarras Area Water District is about 44% 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 Embarras Area Water District?
EPA lists Embarras Area Water District as privately owned. 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. 3 of the 9 active systems in Coles County (33%) are also privately owned.
Does Embarras Area Water District have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2019. The violations listed here began between July 2005 and July 2019. By type: 4 contaminant level above the legal limit, 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) (4 of them). EPA lists 6 as resolved. 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.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2013-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2013-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2005-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingInitial Tap Sampling for Pb and Cu · code 51 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
All 6 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.
Embarras Area Water District: frequently asked questions
Who runs Embarras Area Water District?
Embarras Area Water District (PWSID IL0290020) is a community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the IL state drinking water program.
How many people does Embarras Area Water District serve?
Embarras Area Water District reports serving 3,750 people through 1,500 service connections in Coles County, Illinois.
Where does Embarras Area Water District 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 Embarras Area Water District have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2019. 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 Embarras Area Water District'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 6 violations for this system; 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2019. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IL state drinking water program.
Where can I find Embarras Area Water District's water quality report?
As a community water system, Embarras Area Water District 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 Coles County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mattoon | Coles | 19,500 | Community | Surface water |
| Charleston | Coles | 17,286 | Community | Surface water |
| Eastern Illinois University | Coles | 5,500 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Oakland | Coles | 739 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Cooks Mills Water Association | Coles | 720 | Community | Groundwater |
| Ashmore | Coles | 637 | 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, “Embarras Area Water District, PWSID IL0290020, Illinois”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/illinois/embarras-area-water-district-il0290020 (data as of October 1, 2026).