Clarke County, Iowa — public water systems
At a glance
3 active public water systems are filed under Clarke County, Iowa in EPA's SDWIS records, together reporting 10,267 people served. The largest is Osceola Water Works, which reports serving 5,503 people. All 3 are community water systems serving people where they live.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO, refreshed quarterly.
Active systems
3
Population served
10.3K
Community systems
3
Groundwater share
0%
How does Clarke County compare with other Iowa counties?
Clarke County has the 92nd-most active public water systems among the 114 counties listed for active Iowa systems in EPA records; among the 96 with 3 or more systems, the median has 14. Its systems report 10,267 people served in total, the 64th-largest county figure in the state and 0.3% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 3,422 people, about twice the Iowa average of 1,718. Population figures are what each system reports; people served by more than one system, such as a wholesaler and the town that buys from it, are counted by each.
Where does Clarke County's drinking water come from?
By primary water source, Clarke County's active systems draw on purchased surface water (2, 67%) and surface water (1, 33%). Overall, none rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and all on surface water, compared with 92% and 7.8% across Iowa. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. The county's largest system, Osceola Water Works, draws primarily on surface water.
What kinds of water systems operate in Clarke County?
Clarke County's active systems break down as 3 community systems (100%). 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. EPA lists their owner types as local government (67%) and private (33%).
Water systems in Clarke County
🔒 Create a free account to export CSV| # | Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Osceola Water Works | Clarke | 5,503 | Community | Surface water |
| 2 | Sirwa #3 (Osceola) | Clarke | 4,080 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 3 | Murray Water Works | Clarke | 684 | Community | Purchased surface water |
Also serving Clarke County
These systems serve several counties, including Clarke County. EPA lists another county first for them, so they are not included in the counts above.
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sirwa #2 (Creston) | Madison + 7 more | 20,793 | Community | Surface water |
Clarke County water systems: frequently asked questions
How many public water systems are in Clarke County, Iowa?
EPA's SDWIS records file 3 active public water systems under Clarke County, Iowa: 3 community systems (100%). At least 1 more system is listed under another county but also serve Clarke County.
Who supplies drinking water in Clarke County, IA?
The largest community water systems filed under Clarke County are Osceola Water Works (5,503 people served), Sirwa #3 (Osceola) (4,080 people served) and Murray Water Works (684 people served). Which system serves a particular address depends on its service area, which EPA's SDWIS records do not include; a water bill or the local utility can confirm it.
Does Clarke County's drinking water come from groundwater or surface water?
Of the 3 active public water systems in Clarke County, none draw mainly on groundwater and all on surface water, counting purchased supplies. The largest system, Osceola Water Works, uses surface water.
Where can I find a water quality report for Clarke County?
Each community water system must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1, covering the previous calendar year. 3 community systems are filed under Clarke County, so the report to look for is the one from the system that supplies your address.
How can I check violations for a water system in Clarke County?
Open the system's profile from the list on this page. Each profile shows the most recent Safe Drinking Water Act violations in EPA's records, with plain-English labels and whether each one is resolved. For current compliance status, EPA ECHO is the primary source.
More Iowa water systems
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, “Public water systems in Clarke County, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/clarke (data as of October 1, 2026).