Public water system · IA1903027
ActiveAlta Vista Water Department
At a glance
Alta Vista Water Department (PWSID IA1903027) is an active community water system in Chickasaw County, Iowa. It reports serving 227 people through 134 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in June 1991.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
227
Service connections
134
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Alta Vista Water Department compare with other water systems in Chickasaw County?
By EPA's size categories, Alta Vista Water Department is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Chickasaw County has 21 active public water systems, and Alta Vista Water Department is the 5th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 39% below the county average of 375 people per system, and accounts for 2.9% of the 7,872 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Iowa, the 1,828 active systems average 1,718 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Alta Vista Water Department 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. Iowa has 1,084 active community water systems, 59% of the state's 1,828 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 1,502 Iowa systems (82%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Alta Vista Water Department?
EPA lists Alta Vista Water Department as owned by a local government. The IA 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 21 active systems in Chickasaw County (43%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Alta Vista Water Department have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in June 1991. The violations listed here began between October 1984 and June 1991. By type: 2 monitoring and reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminants or rules involved are Total coliform bacteria (TCR), Nitrate and Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium). EPA lists 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1987-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 1984-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | No | Resolved |
All 3 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.
Alta Vista Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Alta Vista Water Department?
Alta Vista Water Department (PWSID IA1903027) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IA state drinking water program.
How many people does Alta Vista Water Department serve?
Alta Vista Water Department reports serving 227 people through 134 service connections in Chickasaw County, Iowa.
Where does Alta Vista Water Department 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 Alta Vista Water Department have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in June 1991. 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 Alta Vista Water Department'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 3 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in June 1991. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Alta Vista Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Alta Vista Water Department 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 Chickasaw County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampton Water Supply | Chickasaw | 3,494 | Community | Groundwater |
| Nashua Water Supply | Chickasaw | 1,551 | Community | Groundwater |
| Fredericksburg Water Supply | Chickasaw | 987 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lawler Water Supply | Chickasaw | 406 | Community | Groundwater |
| Ionia Water Supply | Chickasaw | 226 | Community | Groundwater |
| Little Brown Church | Chickasaw | 183 | Transient non-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, “Alta Vista Water Department, PWSID IA1903027, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/alta-vista-water-department-ia1903027 (data as of October 1, 2026).