Public water system · MI0002980

Active

Hancock

At a glance

Hancock (PWSID MI0002980) is an active community water system in Houghton County, Michigan. It reports serving 4,500 people through 1,672 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased 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 January 2023.

Dataset updated October 2026 . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.

Population served

4,500

Service connections

1,672

Primary source

GWP

Purchased groundwater

System type

CWS

Community water system

System record

PWSIDMI0002980

System typeCommunity water system

Activity statusActive

Population served4,500

Service connections1,672

Primary water sourcePurchased groundwater

Owner typeLocal government

Primacy agencyMI state drinking water program

City servedHancock

StateMichigan

ZIP—

CountyHoughton County

How does Hancock compare with other water systems in Houghton County?

By EPA's size categories, Hancock is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Houghton County has 46 active public water systems, and Hancock is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 6.1 times the county average of 733 people per system, and accounts for 13% of the 33,702 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 Hancock is about 33% 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 groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 42 Michigan systems (0.4%) list purchased groundwater as their primary source.

Who owns and regulates Hancock?

EPA lists Hancock 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. 15 of the 46 active systems in Houghton County (33%) are also owned by a local government.

Does Hancock have drinking water violations?

EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2023. The violations listed here began between September 1991 and January 2023. By type: 6 monitoring and reporting, 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Lead and Copper Rule (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
2023-01-01	Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66	Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000	No	Resolved
2021-07-01	Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71	Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000	No	Resolved
2020-01-11	Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52	Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000	No	Resolved
2019-07-11	Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52	Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000	No	Resolved
2016-09-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456	No	Resolved
2016-09-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950	No	Resolved
1993-07-01	Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22	Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100	Yes	Resolved
1991-09-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Minor (TCR) · code 26	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.

Hancock: frequently asked questions

Who runs Hancock?

Hancock (PWSID MI0002980) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MI state drinking water program.

How many people does Hancock serve?

Hancock reports serving 4,500 people through 1,672 service connections in Houghton County, Michigan.

Where does Hancock get its water?

EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased groundwater. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own.

Does Hancock have any drinking water violations?

EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2023. 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 Hancock'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 January 2023. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MI state drinking water program.

Where can I find Hancock's water quality report?

As a community water system, Hancock 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 Houghton County

Water system	County	Population served	Type	Source
Houghton	Houghton	8,386	Community	Groundwater
Upper Michigan Water Company	Houghton	5,535	Community	Groundwater
Adams Township	Houghton	2,010	Community	Groundwater
Laurium	Houghton	1,947	Community	Purchased groundwater
Osceola Township	Houghton	1,391	Community	Groundwater
Portage Township	Houghton	1,214	Community	Purchased 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, “Hancock, PWSID MI0002980, Michigan”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/michigan/hancock-mi0002980 (data as of October 1, 2026).