Public water system · MI0000733
ActiveBlack Bear Farms
At a glance
Black Bear Farms (PWSID MI0000733) is an active community water system in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. It reports serving 110 people through 91 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as privately owned. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2012.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
110
Service connections
91
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Black Bear Farms compare with other water systems in Grand Traverse County?
By EPA's size categories, Black Bear Farms is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Grand Traverse County has 173 active public water systems. Its population served is about 67% below the county average of 329 people per system, and accounts for 0.2% of the 56,994 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 Black Bear Farms 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. 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 Black Bear Farms?
EPA lists Black Bear Farms as privately owned. 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. 144 of the 173 active systems in Grand Traverse County (83%) are also privately owned.
Does Black Bear Farms have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2012. The violations listed here began between January 2008 and July 2012. By type: 11 monitoring and reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminants or rules involved are Total coliform bacteria (TCR), Toluene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene and 1,2-Dichloroethane. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Toluenecode 2991 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | trans-1,2-Dichloroethylenecode 2979 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,2-Dichloroethanecode 2980 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Trichloroethylenecode 2984 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Tetrachloroethylenecode 2987 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Ethylbenzenecode 2992 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Styrenecode 2996 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Xylenes, Totalcode 2955 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Vinyl chloridecode 2976 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Benzenecode 2990 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzenecode 2378 | 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.
Black Bear Farms: frequently asked questions
Who runs Black Bear Farms?
Black Bear Farms (PWSID MI0000733) is a community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the MI state drinking water program.
How many people does Black Bear Farms serve?
Black Bear Farms reports serving 110 people through 91 service connections in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
Where does Black Bear Farms 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 Black Bear Farms have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2012. 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 Black Bear Farms' 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, one is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2012. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MI state drinking water program.
Where can I find Black Bear Farms' water quality report?
As a community water system, Black Bear Farms 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 Grand Traverse County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City | Grand Traverse | 14,532 | Community | Surface water |
| Garfield Charter Township | Grand Traverse | 12,899 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| East Bay Charter Township | Grand Traverse | 3,720 | Community | Groundwater |
| Blair Township | Grand Traverse | 2,788 | Community | Groundwater |
| Peninsula Township | Grand Traverse | 1,790 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Kingsley, Village of | Grand Traverse | 1,657 | 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, “Black Bear Farms, PWSID MI0000733, Michigan”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/michigan/black-bear-farms-mi0000733 (data as of October 1, 2026).