Public water system · IA4515087
ActiveCresco Waterworks
At a glance
Cresco Waterworks (PWSID IA4515087) is an active community water system in Howard County, Iowa. It reports serving 3,913 people through 1,900 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2005.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
3,913
Service connections
1,900
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Cresco Waterworks compare with other water systems in Howard County?
By EPA's size categories, Cresco Waterworks is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Howard County has 21 active public water systems, and Cresco Waterworks is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 11 times the county average of 348 people per system, and accounts for 54% of the 7,302 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 Cresco Waterworks is about 42% 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 Cresco Waterworks?
EPA lists Cresco Waterworks 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. 10 of the 21 active systems in Howard County (48%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Cresco Waterworks have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2005. The violations listed here began between January 1992 and April 2005. By type: 12 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Chlorine (2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 1992-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingInitial Tap Sampling for Pb and Cu · code 51 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 1992-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,1,2-Trichloroethanecode 2985 | No | Resolved |
| 1992-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Toluenecode 2991 | No | Resolved |
| 1992-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Ethylbenzenecode 2992 | No | Resolved |
| 1992-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,2-Dichloropropanecode 2983 | No | Resolved |
| 1992-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | trans-1,2-Dichloroethylenecode 2979 | No | Resolved |
| 1992-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Chlorobenzenecode 2989 | No | Resolved |
| 1992-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Dichloromethanecode 2964 | No | Resolved |
| 1992-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | cis-1,2-Dichloroethylenecode 2380 | No | Resolved |
| 1992-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Styrenecode 2996 | No | 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.
Cresco Waterworks: frequently asked questions
Who runs Cresco Waterworks?
Cresco Waterworks (PWSID IA4515087) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IA state drinking water program.
How many people does Cresco Waterworks serve?
Cresco Waterworks reports serving 3,913 people through 1,900 service connections in Howard County, Iowa.
Where does Cresco Waterworks 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 Cresco Waterworks have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2005. 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 Cresco Waterworks' 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, none is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2005. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Cresco Waterworks' water quality report?
As a community water system, Cresco Waterworks 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 Howard County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riceville Water Supply | Howard + 1 more | 816 | Community | Groundwater |
| Elma Water Supply | Howard | 505 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lime Springs Water Supply | Howard | 473 | Community | Groundwater |
| Protivin Water Supply | Howard | 269 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lake Hendricks Park (East Well) | Howard | 192 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Our Lady of Lourdes Church | Howard | 165 | 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, “Cresco Waterworks, PWSID IA4515087, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/cresco-waterworks-ia4515087 (data as of October 1, 2026).