Public water system · MI0000960
ActiveBuchanan
At a glance
Buchanan (PWSID MI0000960) is an active community water system in Berrien County, Michigan. It reports serving 4,871 people through 1,540 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2018.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
4,871
Service connections
1,540
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Buchanan compare with other water systems in Berrien County?
By EPA's size categories, Buchanan is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Berrien County has 196 active public water systems, and Buchanan is the 6th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 7.3 times the county average of 669 people per system, and accounts for 3.7% 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 Buchanan is about 27% 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 Buchanan?
EPA lists Buchanan 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 Buchanan have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2018. The violations listed here began between April 1998 and July 2018. By type: 6 monitoring and reporting 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Radium-226code 4020 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Radium-228code 4030 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-03-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1998-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | 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.
Buchanan: frequently asked questions
Who runs Buchanan?
Buchanan (PWSID MI0000960) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MI state drinking water program.
How many people does Buchanan serve?
Buchanan reports serving 4,871 people through 1,540 service connections in Berrien County, Michigan.
Where does Buchanan 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 Buchanan have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2018. 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 Buchanan'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; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2018. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MI state drinking water program.
Where can I find Buchanan's water quality report?
As a community water system, Buchanan 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 |
| Benton Harbor | Berrien | 9,103 | Community | Surface water |
| St Joseph | Berrien | 7,930 | Community | Surface water |
| Benton Charter Township | Berrien | 6,768 | Community | Surface water |
| 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, “Buchanan, PWSID MI0000960, Michigan”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/michigan/buchanan-mi0000960 (data as of October 1, 2026).