Public water system · MI0003240
ActiveHoward City
At a glance
Howard City (PWSID MI0003240) is an active community water system in Montcalm County, Michigan. It reports serving 1,800 people through 617 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2021.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,800
Service connections
617
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Howard City compare with other water systems in Montcalm County?
By EPA's size categories, Howard City is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Montcalm County has 160 active public water systems, and Howard City is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 5.7 times the county average of 316 people per system, and accounts for 3.6% of the 50,482 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 Howard 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 Howard City?
EPA lists Howard 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. 8 of the 160 active systems in Montcalm County (5%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Howard City have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2021. The violations listed here began between July 1982 and October 2021. By type: 7 monitoring and reporting, 1 monitoring and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) (2 of them). EPA lists 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-12-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1982-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
All 9 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.
Howard City: frequently asked questions
Who runs Howard City?
Howard City (PWSID MI0003240) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MI state drinking water program.
How many people does Howard City serve?
Howard City reports serving 1,800 people through 617 service connections in Montcalm County, Michigan.
Where does Howard 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 Howard City have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2021. 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 Howard 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 9 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2021. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MI state drinking water program.
Where can I find Howard City's water quality report?
As a community water system, Howard 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 Montcalm County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville | Montcalm | 8,816 | Community | Groundwater |
| Carson City | Montcalm | 3,322 | Community | Groundwater |
| Montcalm Community College | Montcalm | 1,484 | Community | Groundwater |
| Stanton | Montcalm | 1,417 | Community | Groundwater |
| Montcalm Community College | Montcalm | 1,400 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Edmore | Montcalm | 1,256 | 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, “Howard City, PWSID MI0003240, Michigan”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/michigan/howard-city-mi0003240 (data as of October 1, 2026).