Public water system · MI0003270
ActiveTorch Lake Township
At a glance
Torch Lake Township (PWSID MI0003270) is an active community water system in Houghton County, Michigan. It reports serving 946 people through 281 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased groundwater, 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 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
946
Service connections
281
Primary source
GWP
Purchased groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Torch Lake Township compare with other water systems in Houghton County?
By EPA's size categories, Torch Lake Township is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Houghton County has 46 active public water systems. Its population served is about 29% above the county average of 733 people per system, and accounts for 2.8% 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 Torch Lake 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 Torch Lake Township?
EPA lists Torch Lake 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 Torch Lake 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 2025. By type: 1 reporting. The contaminant or rule involved is Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. EPA lists 1 as unaddressed. Unaddressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is not yet covered by formal enforcement.
| 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 | Unaddressed |
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.
Torch Lake Township: frequently asked questions
Who runs Torch Lake Township?
Torch Lake Township (PWSID MI0003270) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MI state drinking water program.
How many people does Torch Lake Township serve?
Torch Lake Township reports serving 946 people through 281 service connections in Houghton County, Michigan.
Where does Torch Lake 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 Torch Lake 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 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 Torch Lake 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 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 Torch Lake Township's water quality report?
As a community water system, Torch Lake 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, “Torch Lake Township, PWSID MI0003270, Michigan”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/michigan/torch-lake-township-mi0003270 (data as of October 1, 2026).