Clay County, Iowa — public water systems
At a glance
6 active public water systems are filed under Clay County, Iowa in EPA's SDWIS records, together reporting 19,361 people served. The largest is Spencer Municipal Water Utility, which reports serving 11,325 people. All 6 are community water systems serving people where they live.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO, refreshed quarterly.
Active systems
6
Population served
19.4K
Community systems
6
Groundwater share
100%
How does Clay County compare with other Iowa counties?
Clay County has the 82nd-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 19,361 people served in total, the 31st-largest county figure in the state and 0.6% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 3,227 people, about 88% above 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 Clay County's drinking water come from?
By primary water source, Clay County's active systems draw on groundwater (4, 67%) and purchased groundwater (2, 33%). Overall, all rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and none on surface water, compared with 92% and 7.8% across Iowa. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. The county's largest system, Spencer Municipal Water Utility, draws primarily on groundwater.
What kinds of water systems operate in Clay County?
Clay County's active systems break down as 6 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 (83%) and private (17%).
Water systems in Clay County
🔒 Create a free account to export CSV| # | Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spencer Municipal Water Utility | Clay | 11,325 | Community | Groundwater |
| 2 | Iowa Lakes Regional Water | Clay + 1 more | 6,755 | Community | Groundwater |
| 3 | Everly Water Supply | Clay | 575 | Community | Groundwater |
| 4 | Peterson Municipal Water Supply | Clay | 322 | Community | Groundwater |
| 5 | Fostoria Municipal Water Supply | Clay | 233 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| 6 | Dickens Water Works | Clay | 151 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
Clay County water systems: frequently asked questions
How many public water systems are in Clay County, Iowa?
EPA's SDWIS records file 6 active public water systems under Clay County, Iowa: 6 community systems (100%).
Who supplies drinking water in Clay County, IA?
The largest community water systems filed under Clay County are Spencer Municipal Water Utility (11,325 people served), Iowa Lakes Regional Water (6,755 people served) and Everly Water Supply (575 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 Clay County's drinking water come from groundwater or surface water?
Of the 6 active public water systems in Clay County, all draw mainly on groundwater and none on surface water, counting purchased supplies. The largest system, Spencer Municipal Water Utility, uses groundwater.
Where can I find a water quality report for Clay 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. 6 community systems are filed under Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay County, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/clay (data as of October 1, 2026).