Public water system · MI0000930
ActiveBrown City
At a glance
Brown City (PWSID MI0000930) is an active community water system in Sanilac County, Michigan. It reports serving 1,316 people through 664 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,316
Service connections
664
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Brown City compare with other water systems in Sanilac County?
By EPA's size categories, Brown City is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Sanilac County has 74 active public water systems, and Brown City is the 5th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 3.9 times the county average of 337 people per system, and accounts for 5.3% of the 24,961 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 Brown City 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 Brown City?
EPA lists Brown City 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. 14 of the 74 active systems in Sanilac County (19%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Brown City have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. The violations listed here began between December 1998 and July 2025. By type: 6 monitoring and reporting, 1 reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (3 of them). EPA lists 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-02 | ReportingNotification, Known or Potential LSL · code 4H | Lead and Copper Rule Revisionscode 5200 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2002-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1998-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
All 8 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.
Brown City: frequently asked questions
Who runs Brown City?
Brown City (PWSID MI0000930) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MI state drinking water program.
How many people does Brown City serve?
Brown City reports serving 1,316 people through 664 service connections in Sanilac County, Michigan.
Where does Brown City 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 Brown City have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. 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 Brown City'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 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MI state drinking water program.
Where can I find Brown City's water quality report?
As a community water system, Brown City 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 Sanilac County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worth Township | Sanilac | 3,854 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Sandusky, City of | Sanilac | 2,679 | Community | Groundwater |
| Croswell, City of | Sanilac | 2,447 | Community | Groundwater |
| Marlette, City of | Sanilac | 1,875 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lexington, Village of | Sanilac | 1,025 | Community | Surface water |
| Forester Township | Sanilac | 950 | 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, “Brown City, PWSID MI0000930, Michigan”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/michigan/brown-city-mi0000930 (data as of October 1, 2026).