Public water system · IA2821906
ActiveBackbone State Park
At a glance
Backbone State Park (PWSID IA2821906) is an active transient non-community water system in Delaware County, Iowa. It reports serving 508 people through 4 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a state government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 8 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2013.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
508
Service connections
4
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
TNCWS
Transient non-community water system
System record
How does Backbone State Park compare with other water systems in Delaware County?
By EPA's size categories, Backbone State Park is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Delaware County has 28 active public water systems, and Backbone State Park is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 51% above the county average of 336 people per system, and accounts for 5.4% of the 9,400 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Iowa, the 1,828 active systems average 1,718 people each. Nationally, the average active transient non-community water system reports serving 144 people, so Backbone State Park is about 3.5 times that figure.
What does “transient non-community water system” mean?
A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. Iowa has 626 active transient non-community water systems, 34% 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 Backbone State Park?
EPA lists Backbone State Park as owned by a state 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. 2 of the 28 active systems in Delaware County (7.1%) are also owned by a state government.
Does Backbone State Park have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 8 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2013. The violations listed here began between May 2004 and July 2013. By type: 8 contaminant level above the legal limit and 4 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (8 of them). EPA lists 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2010-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2010-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2009-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2008-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2004-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2004-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2004-05-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
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.
Backbone State Park: frequently asked questions
Who runs Backbone State Park?
Backbone State Park (PWSID IA2821906) is a transient non-community water system owned by a state government. It is regulated by the IA state drinking water program.
How many people does Backbone State Park serve?
Backbone State Park reports serving 508 people through 4 service connections in Delaware County, Iowa.
Where does Backbone State Park 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 Backbone State Park have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 8 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2013. 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 Backbone State Park'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, 8 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2013. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the IA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Backbone State Park's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. Backbone State Park is a transient non-community water system, so it is not required to publish one; like every public water system, it must notify the people it serves about violations under EPA's public notification rules.
Other water systems in Delaware County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester Water Supply | Delaware | 5,077 | Community | Groundwater |
| Earlville Muni Water Supply | Delaware | 724 | Community | Groundwater |
| Hopkinton Municipal Utilities | Delaware | 622 | Community | Groundwater |
| Delhi Water Supply | Delaware | 420 | Community | Groundwater |
| Colesburg Water Supply | Delaware | 386 | Community | Groundwater |
| Ryan Water Supply | Delaware | 350 | 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, “Backbone State Park, PWSID IA2821906, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/backbone-state-park-ia2821906 (data as of October 1, 2026).