Public water system · IA1957201
ActiveThe Balk Tank
At a glance
The Balk Tank (PWSID IA1957201) is an active transient non-community water system in Chickasaw County, Iowa. It reports serving 25 people through 1 service connection. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as privately owned. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 8 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2023.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
25
Service connections
1
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
TNCWS
Transient non-community water system
System record
How does The Balk Tank compare with other water systems in Chickasaw County?
By EPA's size categories, The Balk Tank is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Chickasaw County has 21 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 375 people per system, and accounts for 0.3% of the 7,872 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Iowa, the 1,828 active systems average 1,718 people each. Nationally, the average active transient non-community water system reports serving 144 people, so The Balk Tank is well below that figure.
What does “transient non-community water system” mean?
A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. Iowa has 626 active transient non-community water systems, 34% 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 The Balk Tank?
EPA lists The Balk Tank as privately owned. 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. 12 of the 21 active systems in Chickasaw County (57%) are also privately owned.
Does The Balk Tank have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 8 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2023. The violations listed here began between March 2019 and November 2023. By type: 8 contaminant level above the legal limit, 2 monitoring and reporting, 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Nitrate (10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2023-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2023-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2023-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2023-04-28 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2022-03-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-03-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-05-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2019-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2019-03-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | 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.
The Balk Tank: frequently asked questions
Who runs The Balk Tank?
The Balk Tank (PWSID IA1957201) is a transient non-community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the IA state drinking water program.
How many people does The Balk Tank serve?
The Balk Tank reports serving 25 people through 1 service connection in Chickasaw County, Iowa.
Where does The Balk Tank 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 The Balk Tank have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 8 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2023. 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 The Balk Tank'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, 8 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2023. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the IA state drinking water program.
Where can I find The Balk Tank's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. The Balk Tank is a transient non-community water system, so it is not required to publish one; like every public water system, it must notify the people it serves about violations under EPA's public notification rules.
Other water systems in Chickasaw County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampton Water Supply | Chickasaw | 3,494 | Community | Groundwater |
| Nashua Water Supply | Chickasaw | 1,551 | Community | Groundwater |
| Fredericksburg Water Supply | Chickasaw | 987 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lawler Water Supply | Chickasaw | 406 | Community | Groundwater |
| Alta Vista Water Department | Chickasaw | 227 | Community | Groundwater |
| Ionia Water Supply | Chickasaw | 226 | 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, “The Balk Tank, PWSID IA1957201, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/the-balk-tank-ia1957201 (data as of October 1, 2026).