Public water system · IA7930008
ActiveGrinnell Water Department
At a glance
Grinnell Water Department (PWSID IA7930008) is an active community water system in Poweshiek County, Iowa. It reports serving 9,564 people through 3,600 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, 9 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
9,564
Service connections
3,600
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Grinnell Water Department compare with other water systems in Poweshiek County?
By EPA's size categories, Grinnell Water Department is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Poweshiek County has 8 active public water systems, and Grinnell Water Department is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 5 times the county average of 1,919 people per system, and accounts for 62% of the 15,352 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 Grinnell Water Department is about 43% above 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 Grinnell Water Department?
EPA lists Grinnell Water Department 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. 6 of the 8 active systems in Poweshiek County (75%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Grinnell Water Department have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 9 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. The violations listed here began between July 2024 and January 2026. By type: 9 contaminant level above the legal limit, 2 monitoring and reporting and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Combined Radium (-226 and -228) (7 of them). EPA lists 11 as archived and 1 as resolved. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228)code 4010 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228)code 4010 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228)code 4010 | No | Archived |
| 2025-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | No | Archived |
| 2025-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228)code 4010 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228)code 4010 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | Yes | Archived |
| 2024-12-17 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | Yes | Archived |
| 2024-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228)code 4010 | Yes | Archived |
| 2024-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | Yes | Archived |
| 2024-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228)code 4010 | Yes | Archived |
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.
Grinnell Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Grinnell Water Department?
Grinnell Water Department (PWSID IA7930008) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IA state drinking water program.
How many people does Grinnell Water Department serve?
Grinnell Water Department reports serving 9,564 people through 3,600 service connections in Poweshiek County, Iowa.
Where does Grinnell Water Department 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 Grinnell Water Department have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 9 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. 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 Grinnell Water Department'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, 9 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Grinnell Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Grinnell Water Department 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 Poweshiek County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ponderosa Utilities Inc.. | Poweshiek | 1,750 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Montezuma Muni Water Supply | Poweshiek | 1,545 | Community | Groundwater |
| Brooklyn Water Department | Poweshiek | 1,505 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Grinnell MHP Mhc | Poweshiek | 313 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Malcom Water Supply | Poweshiek | 270 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Deep River Water Supply | Poweshiek | 249 | Community | Purchased 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, “Grinnell Water Department, PWSID IA7930008, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/grinnell-water-department-ia7930008 (data as of October 1, 2026).