Public water system · IL0010550
ActivePayson
At a glance
Payson (PWSID IL0010550) is an active community water system in Adams County, Illinois. It reports serving 1,386 people through 394 service connections. Its primary water source is 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 July 2017.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,386
Service connections
394
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Payson compare with other water systems in Adams County?
By EPA's size categories, Payson is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Adams County has 22 active public water systems, and Payson is the 6th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 55% below the county average of 3,086 people per system, and accounts for 2% of the 67,881 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 Payson 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 Payson?
EPA lists Payson 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. 15 of the 22 active systems in Adams County (68%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Payson have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2017. The violations listed here began between August 1998 and July 2017. By type: 10 monitoring and reporting, 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | 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 |
| 2010-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1999-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 1998-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | 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.
Payson: frequently asked questions
Who runs Payson?
Payson (PWSID IL0010550) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IL state drinking water program.
How many people does Payson serve?
Payson reports serving 1,386 people through 394 service connections in Adams County, Illinois.
Where does Payson 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 Payson 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 July 2017. 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 Payson'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 July 2017. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IL state drinking water program.
Where can I find Payson's water quality report?
As a community water system, Payson 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 Adams County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quincy | Adams | 42,000 | Community | Surface water |
| Abs Water Coop | Adams | 6,858 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Mill Creek PWD | Adams | 5,755 | Community | Groundwater |
| Clayton-Camp Point Water Commission | Adams | 2,470 | Community | Groundwater |
| Blessing Hospital | Adams | 2,460 | Non-transient non-community | Purchased surface water |
| Camp Point | Adams | 1,190 | 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, “Payson, PWSID IL0010550, Illinois”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/illinois/payson-il0010550 (data as of October 1, 2026).