Public water system · MI0000260
ActiveAthens
At a glance
Athens (PWSID MI0000260) is an active community water system in Calhoun County, Michigan. It reports serving 956 people through 386 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in August 2024.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
956
Service connections
386
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Athens compare with other water systems in Calhoun County?
By EPA's size categories, Athens is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Calhoun County has 141 active public water systems. Its population served is about 44% above the county average of 666 people per system, and accounts for 1% of the 93,883 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Michigan, the 10,599 active systems average 847 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Athens 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. Michigan has 1,332 active community water systems, 13% of the state's 10,599 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 10,214 Michigan systems (96%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Athens?
EPA lists Athens as owned by a local government. The MI state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 10 of the 141 active systems in Calhoun County (7.1%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Athens have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in August 2024. The violations listed here began between December 1984 and August 2024. By type: 4 monitoring and reporting, 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 2 contaminant level above the legal limit and 1 reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (4 of them). EPA lists 8 as resolved and 1 as archived. 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. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-11 | ReportingReport Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR) · code 4B | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingWater Quality Parameter M/R · code 53 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Arseniccode 1005 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-08-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherOperations Report · code 10 | Not reported | No | Resolved |
| 2002-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1995-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1993-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1984-12-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherNotification, Public · code 06 | Not reported | No | Archived |
All 9 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.
Athens: frequently asked questions
Who runs Athens?
Athens (PWSID MI0000260) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MI state drinking water program.
How many people does Athens serve?
Athens reports serving 956 people through 386 service connections in Calhoun County, Michigan.
Where does Athens 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 Athens have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in August 2024. 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 Athens' 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 records list 9 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in August 2024. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MI state drinking water program.
Where can I find Athens' water quality report?
As a community water system, Athens 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 Calhoun County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Creek - Verona System | Calhoun | 43,975 | Community | Groundwater |
| Albion | Calhoun | 9,144 | Community | Groundwater |
| Marshall | Calhoun | 7,088 | Community | Groundwater |
| Pennfield Township | Calhoun | 3,916 | Community | Groundwater |
| Springfield | Calhoun | 3,833 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Emmett Township | Calhoun | 2,550 | Community | Purchased 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, “Athens, PWSID MI0000260, Michigan”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/michigan/athens-mi0000260 (data as of October 1, 2026).