Public water system · MN1530002
ActiveBigelow
At a glance
Bigelow (PWSID MN1530002) is an active community water system in Nobles County, Minnesota. It reports serving 235 people through 109 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 11 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2023.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
235
Service connections
109
Primary source
GWP
Purchased groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Bigelow compare with other water systems in Nobles County?
By EPA's size categories, Bigelow is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Nobles County has 15 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 1,220 people per system, and accounts for 1.3% of the 18,302 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 Bigelow 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. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 89 Minnesota systems (1.4%) list purchased groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Bigelow?
EPA lists Bigelow 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. 12 of the 15 active systems in Nobles County (80%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Bigelow have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 11 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2023. The violations listed here began between July 1993 and October 2023. By type: 10 monitoring and reporting and 1 required treatment not met. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (6 of them). EPA lists 7 as archived, 3 as resolved and 1 as unaddressed. 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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-10-31 | Required treatment not metPublic Education · code 65 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | Yes | Unaddressed |
| 2002-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 2001-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1998-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Archived |
| 1997-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1996-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1995-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 1994-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1994-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1994-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 1993-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingInitial Tap Sampling for Pb and Cu · code 51 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
All 11 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.
Bigelow: frequently asked questions
Who runs Bigelow?
Bigelow (PWSID MN1530002) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Bigelow serve?
Bigelow reports serving 235 people through 109 service connections in Nobles County, Minnesota.
Where does Bigelow 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 Bigelow have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 11 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2023. 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 Bigelow'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 11 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2023. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Bigelow's water quality report?
As a community water system, Bigelow 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 Nobles County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worthington | Nobles | 14,052 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Adrian | Nobles | 1,211 | Community | Groundwater |
| Brewster | Nobles | 506 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Ellsworth | Nobles | 462 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Round Lake | Nobles | 376 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Wilmont | Nobles | 344 | Community | Purchased 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, “Bigelow, PWSID MN1530002, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/bigelow-mn1530002 (data as of October 1, 2026).