Public water system · IA7465010
ActiveRuthven Water Supply
At a glance
Ruthven Water Supply (PWSID IA7465010) is an active community water system in Palo Alto County, Iowa. It reports serving 779 people through 359 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
779
Service connections
359
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Ruthven Water Supply compare with other water systems in Palo Alto County?
By EPA's size categories, Ruthven Water Supply is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Palo Alto County has 8 active public water systems, and Ruthven Water Supply is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 60% below the county average of 1,944 people per system, and accounts for 5% of the 15,555 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 Ruthven 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 Ruthven Water Supply?
EPA lists Ruthven 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. 6 of the 8 active systems in Palo Alto County (75%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Ruthven Water Supply 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 Ruthven Water Supply. For the latest compliance status, check EPA ECHO for current compliance history.
Ruthven Water Supply: frequently asked questions
Who runs Ruthven Water Supply?
Ruthven Water Supply (PWSID IA7465010) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IA state drinking water program.
How many people does Ruthven Water Supply serve?
Ruthven Water Supply reports serving 779 people through 359 service connections in Palo Alto County, Iowa.
Where does Ruthven 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 Ruthven Water Supply have any drinking water violations?
EPA's Safe Drinking Water Act records list no violations for this system.
Is Ruthven 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. 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 Ruthven Water Supply's water quality report?
As a community water system, Ruthven 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 Palo Alto County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Lakes Regional Water - Osgood | Palo Alto | 9,021 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Emmetsburg Municipal Water Department | Palo Alto | 3,733 | Community | Groundwater |
| Graettinger Municipal Water Supply | Palo Alto | 897 | Community | Groundwater |
| West Bend Water Department | Palo Alto | 772 | Community | Groundwater |
| Mallard Water Supply | Palo Alto | 257 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Daybreak Foods Inc. | Palo Alto | 65 | Non-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, “Ruthven Water Supply, PWSID IA7465010, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/ruthven-water-supply-ia7465010 (data as of October 1, 2026).