Public water system · MN1730001
ActiveAlbany
At a glance
Albany (PWSID MN1730001) is an active community water system in Stearns County, Minnesota. It reports serving 2,805 people through 987 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
2,805
Service connections
987
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Albany compare with other water systems in Stearns County?
By EPA's size categories, Albany is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Stearns County has 212 active public water systems. Its population served is about 3.6 times the county average of 783 people per system, and accounts for 1.7% of the 165,903 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Minnesota, the 6,465 active systems average 820 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Albany 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. Minnesota has 987 active community water systems, 15% of the state's 6,465 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 6,261 Minnesota systems (97%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Albany?
EPA lists Albany as owned by a local government. The MN state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 36 of the 212 active systems in Stearns County (17%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Albany have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. The violations listed here began between September 1993 and January 2026. By type: 2 monitoring and reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminants or rules involved are Total trihalomethanes (TTHM), Arsenic and Total coliform bacteria (TCR). EPA lists 2 as archived and 1 as resolved. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Archived |
| 2006-01-23 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Arseniccode 1005 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1993-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
All 3 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.
Albany: frequently asked questions
Who runs Albany?
Albany (PWSID MN1730001) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Albany serve?
Albany reports serving 2,805 people through 987 service connections in Stearns County, Minnesota.
Where does Albany 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 Albany have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. 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 Albany'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 3 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Albany's water quality report?
As a community water system, Albany 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 Stearns County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Cloud | Stearns | 71,321 | Community | Surface water |
| Sartell | Stearns | 20,300 | Community | Groundwater |
| Waite Park | Stearns | 8,354 | Community | Groundwater |
| Saint Joseph | Stearns | 7,100 | Community | Groundwater |
| Sauk Centre | Stearns | 4,657 | Community | Groundwater |
| Cold Spring | Stearns | 4,201 | 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, “Albany, PWSID MN1730001, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/albany-mn1730001 (data as of October 1, 2026).