Public water system · KS2015902
ActiveSterling, City of
At a glance
City of Sterling (PWSID KS2015902) is an active community water system in Rice County, Kansas. It reports serving 2,318 people through 995 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
2,318
Service connections
995
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does City of Sterling compare with other water systems in Rice County?
By EPA's size categories, City of Sterling is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Rice County has 8 active public water systems, and City of Sterling is the 2nd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 127% above the county average of 1,019 people per system, and accounts for 28% of the 8,153 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Kansas, the 1,041 active systems average 2,800 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so City of Sterling is about 65% 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. Kansas has 863 active community water systems, 83% of the state's 1,041 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 587 Kansas systems (56%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates City of Sterling?
EPA lists City of Sterling as owned by a local government. The KS state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 8 of the 8 active systems in Rice County (100%) are also owned by a local government.
Does City of Sterling have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025. The violations listed here began between October 1999 and January 2025. By type: 5 monitoring and reporting, 5 contaminant level above the legal limit and 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Nitrate (4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-09-29 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Combined Uraniumcode 4006 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2004-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-03-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2001-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2001-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2001-03-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2000-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2000-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1999-10-19 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | 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.
City of Sterling: frequently asked questions
Who runs City of Sterling?
City of Sterling (PWSID KS2015902) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the KS state drinking water program.
How many people does City of Sterling serve?
City of Sterling reports serving 2,318 people through 995 service connections in Rice County, Kansas.
Where does City of Sterling 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 City of Sterling have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025. 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 City of Sterling'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, 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the KS state drinking water program.
Where can I find City of Sterling's water quality report?
As a community water system, City of Sterling 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 Rice County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyons, City of | Rice | 3,556 | Community | Groundwater |
| Rice Co Rwd 1 | Rice | 900 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Little River, City of | Rice | 474 | Community | Groundwater |
| Chase, City of | Rice | 390 | Community | Groundwater |
| Geneseo, City of | Rice | 231 | Community | Groundwater |
| Bushton, City of | Rice | 199 | 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, “Sterling, City of, PWSID KS2015902, Kansas”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/kansas/sterling-city-of-ks2015902 (data as of October 1, 2026).