Public water system · IL0510250
ActiveSt Elmo
At a glance
St Elmo (PWSID IL0510250) is an active community water system in Fayette County, Illinois. It reports serving 1,272 people through 600 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2014.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,272
Service connections
600
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does St Elmo compare with other water systems in Fayette County?
By EPA's size categories, St Elmo is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Fayette County has 11 active public water systems, and St Elmo is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 23% below the county average of 1,654 people per system, and accounts for 7% of the 18,196 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 St Elmo 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 surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 619 Illinois systems (16%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates St Elmo?
EPA lists St Elmo 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 11 active systems in Fayette County (55%) are also owned by a local government.
Does St Elmo have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2014. The violations listed here began between April 1994 and January 2014. By type: 9 monitoring and reporting, 2 contaminant level above the legal limit and 1 required treatment not met. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Surface Water Treatment Rule (5 of them). EPA lists 7 as resolved and 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 1997-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1997-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Atrazinecode 2050 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1997-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Atrazinecode 2050 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique (SWTR and GWR) · code 41 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Archived |
| 1995-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1994-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Resolved |
| 1994-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Archived |
| 1994-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Resolved |
| 1994-04-01 | 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.
St Elmo: frequently asked questions
Who runs St Elmo?
St Elmo (PWSID IL0510250) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IL state drinking water program.
How many people does St Elmo serve?
St Elmo reports serving 1,272 people through 600 service connections in Fayette County, Illinois.
Where does St Elmo get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does St Elmo have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2014. 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 St Elmo'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, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2014. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IL state drinking water program.
Where can I find St Elmo's water quality report?
As a community water system, St Elmo 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 Fayette County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vandalia | Fayette | 7,616 | Community | Surface water |
| Fayette Water Company | Fayette | 5,608 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Ramsey | Fayette | 966 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Brownstown | Fayette | 740 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Vandalia Correctional Center | Fayette | 700 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Farina | Fayette | 540 | 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, “St Elmo, PWSID IL0510250, Illinois”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/illinois/st-elmo-il0510250 (data as of October 1, 2026).