Public water system · IA4525017
ActiveElma Water Supply
At a glance
Elma Water Supply (PWSID IA4525017) is an active community water system in Howard County, Iowa. It reports serving 505 people through 280 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 August 2014.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
505
Service connections
280
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Elma Water Supply compare with other water systems in Howard County?
By EPA's size categories, Elma Water Supply is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Howard County has 21 active public water systems, and Elma Water Supply is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 45% above the county average of 348 people per system, and accounts for 6.9% 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 Elma Water Supply 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 Elma Water Supply?
EPA lists Elma Water Supply 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 Elma Water Supply have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2014. The violations listed here began between January 2007 and August 2014. By type: 12 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Toluene (3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Toluenecode 2991 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalatecode 2039 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Toluenecode 2991 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalatecode 2039 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Toluenecode 2991 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalatecode 2039 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228)code 4010 | 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.
Elma Water Supply: frequently asked questions
Who runs Elma Water Supply?
Elma Water Supply (PWSID IA4525017) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IA state drinking water program.
How many people does Elma Water Supply serve?
Elma Water Supply reports serving 505 people through 280 service connections in Howard County, Iowa.
Where does Elma Water Supply 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 Elma Water Supply 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 August 2014. 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 Elma Water Supply'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, none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2014. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Elma Water Supply's water quality report?
As a community water system, Elma Water Supply 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cresco Waterworks | Howard | 3,913 | Community | Groundwater |
| Riceville Water Supply | Howard + 1 more | 816 | 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, “Elma Water Supply, PWSID IA4525017, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/elma-water-supply-ia4525017 (data as of October 1, 2026).