Public water system · MN1710004
ActiveElk River
At a glance
Elk River (PWSID MN1710004) is an active community water system in Sherburne County, Minnesota. It reports serving 19,532 people through 5,856 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; none is health-based, and the most recent began in May 1992.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
19,532
Service connections
5,856
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Elk River compare with other water systems in Sherburne County?
By EPA's size categories, Elk River is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Sherburne County has 78 active public water systems, and Elk River is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 26 times the county average of 753 people per system, and accounts for 33% of the 58,729 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 Elk River is about 191% 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 Elk River?
EPA lists Elk River 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. 8 of the 78 active systems in Sherburne County (10%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Elk River have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in May 1992. The violations listed here began between March 1991 and May 1992. By type: 3 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (3 of them). EPA lists 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1991-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1991-03-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | 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.
Elk River: frequently asked questions
Who runs Elk River?
Elk River (PWSID MN1710004) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Elk River serve?
Elk River reports serving 19,532 people through 5,856 service connections in Sherburne County, Minnesota.
Where does Elk River 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 Elk River have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in May 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 Elk River'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; none is health-based, and the most recent began in May 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 Elk River's water quality report?
As a community water system, Elk River 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 Sherburne County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake | Sherburne | 13,056 | Community | Groundwater |
| Zimmerman | Sherburne | 6,772 | Community | Groundwater |
| Becker | Sherburne | 5,034 | Community | Groundwater |
| Riverside Church | Sherburne | 1,500 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| St. Cloud Travel Information Mndot | Sherburne | 1,298 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Clear Lake | Sherburne | 802 | 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, “Elk River, PWSID MN1710004, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/elk-river-mn1710004 (data as of October 1, 2026).