Public water system · MI0000600
ActiveBenton Harbor
At a glance
Benton Harbor (PWSID MI0000600) is an active community water system in Berrien County, Michigan. It reports serving 9,103 people through 3,335 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
9,103
Service connections
3,335
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Benton Harbor compare with other water systems in Berrien County?
By EPA's size categories, Benton Harbor is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Berrien County has 196 active public water systems, and Benton Harbor is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 14 times the county average of 669 people per system, and accounts for 6.9% of the 131,038 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 Benton Harbor is about 36% above 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. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 68 Michigan systems (0.6%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Benton Harbor?
EPA lists Benton Harbor 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. 24 of the 196 active systems in Berrien County (12%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Benton Harbor have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. The violations listed here began between December 2021 and January 2026. By type: 6 required treatment not met, 3 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 3 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Carbon, total (6 of them). EPA lists 6 as archived and 6 as resolved. 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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique Precursor Removal · code 46 | Carbon, totalcode 2920 | Yes | Archived |
| 2026-01-01 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique Precursor Removal · code 46 | Carbon, totalcode 2920 | Yes | Archived |
| 2026-01-01 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique Precursor Removal · code 46 | Carbon, totalcode 2920 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-10-01 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique Precursor Removal · code 46 | Carbon, totalcode 2920 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-10-01 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique Precursor Removal · code 46 | Carbon, totalcode 2920 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-10-01 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique Precursor Removal · code 46 | Carbon, totalcode 2920 | Yes | Archived |
| 2023-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-04-11 | Monitoring and reportingInitial, Follow-up, or Routine Source Water M/R · code 56 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-12-13 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-12-13 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | 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.
Benton Harbor: frequently asked questions
Who runs Benton Harbor?
Benton Harbor (PWSID MI0000600) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MI state drinking water program.
How many people does Benton Harbor serve?
Benton Harbor reports serving 9,103 people through 3,335 service connections in Berrien County, Michigan.
Where does Benton Harbor get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as surface water. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs.
Does Benton Harbor have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. 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 Benton Harbor'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, 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MI state drinking water program.
Where can I find Benton Harbor's water quality report?
As a community water system, Benton Harbor 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 Berrien County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Michigan Regional Sanitary Sew | Berrien | 26,780 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Niles | Berrien | 14,215 | Community | Groundwater |
| St Joseph | Berrien | 7,930 | Community | Surface water |
| Benton Charter Township | Berrien | 6,768 | Community | Surface water |
| Buchanan | Berrien | 4,871 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lake Charter Township | Berrien | 4,177 | Community | 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, “Benton Harbor, PWSID MI0000600, Michigan”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/michigan/benton-harbor-mi0000600 (data as of October 1, 2026).