Public water system · MI0004685
ActiveNew Buffalo Township
At a glance
New Buffalo Township (PWSID MI0004685) is an active community water system in Berrien County, Michigan. It reports serving 2,845 people through 995 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in July 2020.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
2,845
Service connections
995
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does New Buffalo Township compare with other water systems in Berrien County?
By EPA's size categories, New Buffalo Township is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Berrien County has 196 active public water systems. Its population served is about 4.3 times the county average of 669 people per system, and accounts for 2.2% 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 New Buffalo Township is about 58% 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 New Buffalo Township?
EPA lists New Buffalo Township 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 New Buffalo Township have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in July 2020. By type: 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved is Consumer Confidence Rule. EPA lists 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
The one violation in EPA's records.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.
New Buffalo Township: frequently asked questions
Who runs New Buffalo Township?
New Buffalo Township (PWSID MI0004685) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MI state drinking water program.
How many people does New Buffalo Township serve?
New Buffalo Township reports serving 2,845 people through 995 service connections in Berrien County, Michigan.
Where does New Buffalo Township 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 New Buffalo Township have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in July 2020. 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 New Buffalo Township'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 one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in July 2020. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MI state drinking water program.
Where can I find New Buffalo Township's water quality report?
As a community water system, New Buffalo Township 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 |
| Buchanan | Berrien | 4,871 | 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, “New Buffalo Township, PWSID MI0004685, Michigan”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/michigan/new-buffalo-township-mi0004685 (data as of October 1, 2026).