Wapello County, Iowa — public water systems
At a glance
5 active public water systems are filed under Wapello County, Iowa in EPA's SDWIS records, together reporting 27,531 people served. The largest is Ottumwa Water Works, which reports serving 25,529 people. All 5 are community water systems serving people where they live.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO, refreshed quarterly.
Active systems
5
Population served
27.5K
Community systems
5
Groundwater share
40%
How does Wapello County compare with other Iowa counties?
Wapello County has the 88th-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 27,531 people served in total, the 24th-largest county figure in the state and 0.9% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 5,506 people, about 3.2 times 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 Wapello County's drinking water come from?
By primary water source, Wapello County's active systems draw on purchased groundwater (2, 40%), purchased surface water (2, 40%) and surface water (1, 20%). Overall, 40% rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and 60% on surface water, compared with 92% and 7.8% across Iowa. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own. The county's largest system, Ottumwa Water Works, draws primarily on surface water.
What kinds of water systems operate in Wapello County?
Wapello County's active systems break down as 5 community systems (100%). 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. EPA lists their owner types as local government (80%) and private (20%).
Water systems in Wapello County
🔒 Create a free account to export CSV| # | Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ottumwa Water Works | Wapello | 25,529 | Community | Surface water |
| 2 | Eldon Water Supply | Wapello | 927 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| 3 | Agency Water Works | Wapello | 620 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| 4 | Blakesburg Municipal Water Works | Wapello | 305 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 5 | Leisure Living Manf Home Community | Wapello | 150 | Community | Purchased surface water |
Also serving Wapello County
These systems serve several counties, including Wapello County. EPA lists another county first for them, so they are not included in the counts above.
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wapello Rural Water Assoc. | Keokuk + 3 more | 17,263 | Community | Purchased surface water |
Wapello County water systems: frequently asked questions
How many public water systems are in Wapello County, Iowa?
EPA's SDWIS records file 5 active public water systems under Wapello County, Iowa: 5 community systems (100%). At least 1 more system is listed under another county but also serve Wapello County.
Who supplies drinking water in Wapello County, IA?
The largest community water systems filed under Wapello County are Ottumwa Water Works (25,529 people served), Eldon Water Supply (927 people served) and Agency Water Works (620 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 Wapello County's drinking water come from groundwater or surface water?
Of the 5 active public water systems in Wapello County, 40% draw mainly on groundwater and 60% on surface water, counting purchased supplies. The largest system, Ottumwa Water Works, uses surface water.
Where can I find a water quality report for Wapello 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. 5 community systems are filed under Wapello 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 Wapello 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 Wapello County, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/wapello (data as of October 1, 2026).