Public water system · MI0000340
ActiveBad Axe
At a glance
Bad Axe (PWSID MI0000340) is an active community water system in Huron County, Michigan. It reports serving 3,129 people through 1,578 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2023.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
3,129
Service connections
1,578
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Bad Axe compare with other water systems in Huron County?
By EPA's size categories, Bad Axe is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Huron County has 101 active public water systems, and Bad Axe is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 9.6 times the county average of 324 people per system, and accounts for 9.6% of the 32,763 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 Bad Axe is about half of 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. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 262 Michigan systems (2.5%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Bad Axe?
EPA lists Bad Axe 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. 15 of the 101 active systems in Huron County (15%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Bad Axe have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2023. The violations listed here began between May 1993 and April 2023. By type: 3 monitoring and reporting, 3 contaminant level above the legal limit and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (3 of them). EPA lists 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Arseniccode 1005 | No | Resolved |
| 2012-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2012-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2003-10-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherOperations Report · code 10 | Not reported | No | Resolved |
| 1993-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1993-05-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
All 7 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.
Bad Axe: frequently asked questions
Who runs Bad Axe?
Bad Axe (PWSID MI0000340) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MI state drinking water program.
How many people does Bad Axe serve?
Bad Axe reports serving 3,129 people through 1,578 service connections in Huron County, Michigan.
Where does Bad Axe get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Bad Axe have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 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 Bad Axe'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. EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2023. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MI state drinking water program.
Where can I find Bad Axe's water quality report?
As a community water system, Bad Axe 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 Huron County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caseville Township | Huron | 2,005 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Sebewaing Light & Water | Huron | 1,721 | Community | Groundwater |
| Harbor Beach, City of | Huron | 1,604 | Community | Surface water |
| Pigeon, Village of | Huron | 1,208 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Port Hope-Gore-Rubicon U. A. | Huron | 1,058 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Port Austin Area Sewer & Water | Huron | 1,004 | Community | Purchased surface water |
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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, “Bad Axe, PWSID MI0000340, Michigan”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/michigan/bad-axe-mi0000340 (data as of October 1, 2026).