Public water system · MN1240001
ActiveAlbert Lea
At a glance
Albert Lea (PWSID MN1240001) is an active community water system in Freeborn County, Minnesota. It reports serving 18,492 people through 7,108 service connections. Its primary water source is 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 1992.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
18,492
Service connections
7,108
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Albert Lea compare with other water systems in Freeborn County?
By EPA's size categories, Albert Lea is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Freeborn County has 55 active public water systems, and Albert Lea is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 35 times the county average of 526 people per system, and accounts for 64% of the 28,918 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 Albert Lea is about 176% above 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 Albert Lea?
EPA lists Albert Lea 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. 19 of the 55 active systems in Freeborn County (35%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Albert Lea 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 1992. By type: 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved is Total coliform bacteria (TCR). EPA lists 1 as archived. 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.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
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.
Albert Lea: frequently asked questions
Who runs Albert Lea?
Albert Lea (PWSID MN1240001) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Albert Lea serve?
Albert Lea reports serving 18,492 people through 7,108 service connections in Freeborn County, Minnesota.
Where does Albert Lea 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 Albert Lea 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 1992. 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 Albert Lea'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 1992. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Albert Lea's water quality report?
As a community water system, Albert Lea 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 Freeborn County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Lea Information Center Mndot | Freeborn | 1,306 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Clarks Grove | Freeborn | 695 | Community | Groundwater |
| Alden | Freeborn | 661 | Community | Groundwater |
| Oakland Woods Rest Area Mndot | Freeborn | 644 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Mayo Clinic Health System - Albert Lea | Freeborn | 600 | Non-transient non-community | Purchased groundwater |
| Glenville | Freeborn | 566 | 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, “Albert Lea, PWSID MN1240001, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/albert-lea-mn1240001 (data as of October 1, 2026).