Public water system · MI0003330
ActivePortage Township
At a glance
Portage Township (PWSID MI0003330) is an active community water system in Houghton County, Michigan. It reports serving 1,214 people through 528 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,214
Service connections
528
Primary source
GWP
Purchased groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Portage Township compare with other water systems in Houghton County?
By EPA's size categories, Portage Township is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Houghton County has 46 active public water systems. Its population served is about 66% above the county average of 733 people per system, and accounts for 3.6% 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 Portage Township 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. 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 Portage Township?
EPA lists Portage 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. 15 of the 46 active systems in Houghton County (33%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Portage Township have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. The violations listed here began between February 2020 and July 2025. By type: 9 monitoring and reporting, 2 reporting and 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Lead and Copper Rule (6 of them). EPA lists 12 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 |
| 2024-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-10-11 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-10-11 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-10-11 | ReportingReport Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR) · code 4B | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-12-30 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-10-11 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-07-11 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-02-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
The 12 most recent 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.
Portage Township: frequently asked questions
Who runs Portage Township?
Portage Township (PWSID MI0003330) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MI state drinking water program.
How many people does Portage Township serve?
Portage Township reports serving 1,214 people through 528 service connections in Houghton County, Michigan.
Where does Portage Township 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 Portage Township have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none 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 Portage 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. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none 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 Portage Township's water quality report?
As a community water system, Portage 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 Houghton County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton | Houghton | 8,386 | Community | Groundwater |
| Upper Michigan Water Company | Houghton | 5,535 | Community | Groundwater |
| Hancock | Houghton | 4,500 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Adams Township | Houghton | 2,010 | Community | Groundwater |
| Laurium | Houghton | 1,947 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Osceola Township | Houghton | 1,391 | 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, “Portage Township, PWSID MI0003330, Michigan”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/michigan/portage-township-mi0003330 (data as of October 1, 2026).