Palo Alto County, Iowa — public water systems
At a glance
8 active public water systems are filed under Palo Alto County, Iowa in EPA's SDWIS records, together reporting 15,555 people served. The largest is Iowa Lakes Regional Water - Osgood, which reports serving 9,021 people. 7 are community water systems serving people where they live; the other 1 are non-community systems, such as schools, workplaces, campgrounds and gas stations with their own supply.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO, refreshed quarterly.
Active systems
8
Population served
15.6K
Community systems
7
Groundwater share
87.5%
How does Palo Alto County compare with other Iowa counties?
Palo Alto County has the 71st-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 15,555 people served in total, the 38th-largest county figure in the state and 0.5% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 1,944 people, about 13% 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 Palo Alto County's drinking water come from?
By primary water source, Palo Alto County's active systems draw on groundwater (6, 75%), purchased surface water (1, 13%) and purchased groundwater (1, 13%). Overall, 88% rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and 13% 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, Iowa Lakes Regional Water - Osgood, draws primarily on purchased surface water.
What kinds of water systems operate in Palo Alto County?
Palo Alto County's active systems break down as 7 community systems (88%) and 1 non-transient non-community systems (13%). 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. A non-transient non-community water system regularly serves at least 25 of the same people for more than six months a year, but not where they live. Schools, factories, office buildings and hospitals with their own supply are typical examples. EPA lists their owner types as local government (75%) and private (25%).
Water systems in Palo Alto County
🔒 Create a free account to export CSV| # | Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa Lakes Regional Water - Osgood | Palo Alto | 9,021 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 2 | Emmetsburg Municipal Water Department | Palo Alto | 3,733 | Community | Groundwater |
| 3 | Graettinger Municipal Water Supply | Palo Alto | 897 | Community | Groundwater |
| 4 | Ruthven Water Supply | Palo Alto | 779 | Community | Groundwater |
| 5 | West Bend Water Department | Palo Alto | 772 | Community | Groundwater |
| 6 | Mallard Water Supply | Palo Alto | 257 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| 7 | Daybreak Foods Inc. | Palo Alto | 65 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| 8 | Rodman Water System | Palo Alto | 31 | Community | Groundwater |
Palo Alto County water systems: frequently asked questions
How many public water systems are in Palo Alto County, Iowa?
EPA's SDWIS records file 8 active public water systems under Palo Alto County, Iowa: 7 community systems (88%) and 1 non-transient non-community systems (13%).
Who supplies drinking water in Palo Alto County, IA?
The largest community water systems filed under Palo Alto County are Iowa Lakes Regional Water - Osgood (9,021 people served), Emmetsburg Municipal Water Department (3,733 people served) and Graettinger Municipal Water Supply (897 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 Palo Alto County's drinking water come from groundwater or surface water?
Of the 8 active public water systems in Palo Alto County, 88% draw mainly on groundwater and 13% on surface water, counting purchased supplies. The largest system, Iowa Lakes Regional Water - Osgood, uses purchased surface water.
Where can I find a water quality report for Palo Alto 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. 7 community systems are filed under Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto County, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/palo-alto (data as of October 1, 2026).