Public water system · IA8335029
ActiveHarlan Municipal Utilities
At a glance
Harlan Municipal Utilities (PWSID IA8335029) is an active community water system in Shelby County, Iowa. It reports serving 5,067 people through 2,590 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Act records list no violations for this system.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
5,067
Service connections
2,590
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Harlan Municipal Utilities compare with other water systems in Shelby County?
By EPA's size categories, Harlan Municipal Utilities is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Shelby County has 8 active public water systems, and Harlan Municipal Utilities is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 5.2 times the county average of 976 people per system, and accounts for 65% of the 7,809 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 Harlan Municipal Utilities is about 24% 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 Harlan Municipal Utilities?
EPA lists Harlan Municipal Utilities 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. 8 of the 8 active systems in Shelby County (100%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Harlan Municipal Utilities have drinking water violations?
No SDWA violations on record.
EPA's SDWA violation and enforcement data (via EPA ECHO, updated quarterly) lists no violations for Harlan Municipal Utilities. For the latest compliance status, check EPA ECHO for current compliance history.
Harlan Municipal Utilities: frequently asked questions
Who runs Harlan Municipal Utilities?
Harlan Municipal Utilities (PWSID IA8335029) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IA state drinking water program.
How many people does Harlan Municipal Utilities serve?
Harlan Municipal Utilities reports serving 5,067 people through 2,590 service connections in Shelby County, Iowa.
Where does Harlan Municipal Utilities 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 Harlan Municipal Utilities have any drinking water violations?
EPA's Safe Drinking Water Act records list no violations for this system.
Is Harlan Municipal Utilities' 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. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Act records list no violations for this system. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Harlan Municipal Utilities' water quality report?
As a community water system, Harlan Municipal Utilities 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 Shelby County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby Water Supply | Shelby | 727 | Community | Groundwater |
| Elk Horn Muni Water Works | Shelby | 631 | Community | Groundwater |
| Earling Water Supply | Shelby | 397 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Irwin Municipal Supply | Shelby | 313 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Defiance Water Department | Shelby | 250 | Community | Groundwater |
| Panama Water Works | Shelby | 235 | 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, “Harlan Municipal Utilities, PWSID IA8335029, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/harlan-municipal-utilities-ia8335029 (data as of October 1, 2026).