Public water system · MN1360001
ActiveBig Falls
At a glance
Big Falls (PWSID MN1360001) is an active community water system in Koochiching County, Minnesota. It reports serving 192 people through 106 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2016.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
192
Service connections
106
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Big Falls compare with other water systems in Koochiching County?
By EPA's size categories, Big Falls is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Koochiching County has 33 active public water systems. Its population served is about 33% below the county average of 286 people per system, and accounts for 2% of the 9,442 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 Big Falls 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. 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 Big Falls?
EPA lists Big Falls 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. 9 of the 33 active systems in Koochiching County (27%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Big Falls have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2016. The violations listed here began between October 1992 and October 2016. By type: 4 monitoring and reporting, 3 contaminant level above the legal limit and 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (3 of them). EPA lists 6 as resolved and 2 as archived. 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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2016-10-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2012-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-02-22 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Arseniccode 1005 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1999-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1994-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1993-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Archived |
| 1992-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
All 8 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.
Big Falls: frequently asked questions
Who runs Big Falls?
Big Falls (PWSID MN1360001) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Big Falls serve?
Big Falls reports serving 192 people through 106 service connections in Koochiching County, Minnesota.
Where does Big Falls 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 Big Falls have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2016. 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 Big Falls' 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 8 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2016. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Big Falls' water quality report?
As a community water system, Big Falls 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 Koochiching County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Falls | Koochiching | 5,637 | Community | Surface water |
| Ranier | Koochiching | 565 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Littlefork | Koochiching | 542 | Community | Groundwater |
| Y Knot Quick Stop | Koochiching | 500 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Sha Sha Resort | Koochiching | 300 | Transient non-community | Surface water |
| Rainy Lake Houseboats | Koochiching | 200 | Transient non-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, “Big Falls, PWSID MN1360001, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/big-falls-mn1360001 (data as of October 1, 2026).