Public water system · MN1660006
ActiveLonsdale
At a glance
Lonsdale (PWSID MN1660006) is an active community water system in Rice County, Minnesota. It reports serving 3,913 people through 1,753 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 11 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2008.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
3,913
Service connections
1,753
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Lonsdale compare with other water systems in Rice County?
By EPA's size categories, Lonsdale is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Rice County has 70 active public water systems, and Lonsdale is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 4.2 times the county average of 925 people per system, and accounts for 6% of the 64,781 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 Lonsdale is about 42% 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 Lonsdale?
EPA lists Lonsdale 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 70 active systems in Rice County (11%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Lonsdale have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 11 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2008. The violations listed here began between April 1991 and April 2008. By type: 9 monitoring and reporting and 2 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (9 of them). EPA lists 9 as archived and 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-04-28 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228)code 4010 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2008-04-28 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1998-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1997-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1994-02-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1993-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1992-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1992-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1992-02-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1991-07-01 | 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 |
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.
Lonsdale: frequently asked questions
Who runs Lonsdale?
Lonsdale (PWSID MN1660006) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Lonsdale serve?
Lonsdale reports serving 3,913 people through 1,753 service connections in Rice County, Minnesota.
Where does Lonsdale 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 Lonsdale have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 11 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2008. 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 Lonsdale'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; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2008. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Lonsdale's water quality report?
As a community water system, Lonsdale 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 Rice County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faribault | Rice | 23,718 | Community | Groundwater |
| Northfield | Rice | 20,790 | Community | Groundwater |
| Flying J #576 | Rice | 2,500 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Carleton College | Rice | 2,485 | Community | Groundwater |
| Mn Correctional Facility - Faribault | Rice | 2,103 | Community | Groundwater |
| Heath Creek Rest Area Mndot | Rice | 1,750 | 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, “Lonsdale, PWSID MN1660006, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/lonsdale-mn1660006 (data as of October 1, 2026).