Public water system · MI0000705
ActiveBig Creek/Mentor Utility Authority
At a glance
Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority (PWSID MI0000705) is an active community water system in Oscoda County, Michigan. It reports serving 622 people through 244 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in August 2017.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
622
Service connections
244
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority compare with other water systems in Oscoda County?
By EPA's size categories, Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Oscoda County has 70 active public water systems, and Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 5.9 times the county average of 106 people per system, and accounts for 8.4% of the 7,420 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 Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority 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 Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority?
EPA lists Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority 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. 2 of the 70 active systems in Oscoda County (2.9%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in August 2017. The violations listed here began between July 1999 and August 2017. By type: 2 monitoring and reporting and 2 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (2 of them). EPA lists 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 1999-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1999-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
All 4 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.
Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority: frequently asked questions
Who runs Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority?
Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority (PWSID MI0000705) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MI state drinking water program.
How many people does Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority serve?
Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority reports serving 622 people through 244 service connections in Oscoda County, Michigan.
Where does Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority 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 Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in August 2017. 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 Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority'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 4 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in August 2017. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MI state drinking water program.
Where can I find Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority's water quality report?
As a community water system, Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority 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 Oscoda County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luzerne Express | Oscoda | 500 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Garland Resort Maintenance Bld | Oscoda | 400 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Fairview Area Schools | Oscoda | 348 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Garland Hotel | Oscoda | 300 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Fairview Bp | Oscoda | 300 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Tri Point Church of God | Oscoda | 260 | Transient non-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, “Big Creek/Mentor Utility Authority, PWSID MI0000705, Michigan”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/michigan/big-creek-mentor-utility-authority-mi0000705 (data as of October 1, 2026).