Washington County, Iowa — public water systems
At a glance
24 active public water systems are filed under Washington County, Iowa in EPA's SDWIS records, together reporting 16,082 people served. The largest is Washington Water Department, which reports serving 7,362 people. 13 are community water systems serving people where they live; the other 11 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
24
Population served
16.1K
Community systems
13
Groundwater share
100%
How does Washington County compare with other Iowa counties?
Washington County has the 20th-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 16,082 people served in total, the 35th-largest county figure in the state and 0.5% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 670 people, about 61% below 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 Washington County's drinking water come from?
By primary water source, Washington County's active systems draw on groundwater (23, 96%) and purchased groundwater (1, 4.2%). Overall, all rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and none 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, Washington Water Department, draws primarily on groundwater.
What kinds of water systems operate in Washington County?
Washington County's active systems break down as 13 community systems (54%), 4 non-transient non-community systems (17%) and 7 transient non-community systems (29%). 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. 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. EPA lists their owner types as private (46%), local government (38%) and public/private partnership (17%).
Water systems in Washington County
🔒 Create a free account to export CSV| # | Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington Water Department | Washington | 7,362 | Community | Groundwater |
| 2 | Kalona Water Dept | Washington | 2,630 | Community | Groundwater |
| 3 | Wellman Municipal Waterworks | Washington | 1,524 | Community | Groundwater |
| 4 | Riverside Water Supply | Washington | 1,060 | Community | Groundwater |
| 5 | Brighton Municipal Water Supply | Washington | 600 | Community | Groundwater |
| 6 | Ainsworth Water Works | Washington | 511 | Community | Groundwater |
| 7 | Highland High School | Washington | 405 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| 8 | Ainsworth 4 Corners Restaurant | Washington | 400 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| 9 | Crawfordsville Water Supply | Washington | 277 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| 10 | Hillcrest Academy | Washington | 202 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| 11 | Mid-Prairie Home School Ed Center | Washington | 160 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| 12 | Marr Park | Washington | 148 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| 13 | West Chester Muni Wtr Supply | Washington | 144 | Community | Groundwater |
| 14 | Pathway Christian School | Washington | 115 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| 15 | Timberline Estates | Washington | 95 | Community | Groundwater |
| 16 | Linn Hollow MHP LLC | Washington | 68 | Community | Groundwater |
| 17 | Dairy Mart | Washington | 62 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| 18 | City of Kalona - Southtown | Washington | 60 | Community | Groundwater |
| 19 | Him Hearth N Home Cooking | Washington | 57 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| 20 | Waldschmidt Subdivision | Washington | 45 | Community | Groundwater |
| 21 | Sunset Hills Estates Part 2 | Washington | 45 | Community | Groundwater |
| 22 | Crooked Creek Christian Camp | Washington | 43 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| 23 | Eagles Nest Tap LLC | Washington | 42 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| 24 | Windmill Ridge Campground | Washington | 27 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
Also serving Washington County
These systems serve several counties, including Washington 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 |
Washington County water systems: frequently asked questions
How many public water systems are in Washington County, Iowa?
EPA's SDWIS records file 24 active public water systems under Washington County, Iowa: 13 community systems (54%), 4 non-transient non-community systems (17%) and 7 transient non-community systems (29%). At least 1 more system is listed under another county but also serve Washington County.
Who supplies drinking water in Washington County, IA?
The largest community water systems filed under Washington County are Washington Water Department (7,362 people served), Kalona Water Dept (2,630 people served) and Wellman Municipal Waterworks (1,524 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 Washington County's drinking water come from groundwater or surface water?
Of the 24 active public water systems in Washington County, all draw mainly on groundwater and none on surface water, counting purchased supplies. The largest system, Washington Water Department, uses groundwater.
Where can I find a water quality report for Washington 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. 13 community systems are filed under Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/washington (data as of October 1, 2026).