Public water system · MN1830004
ActiveMadelia
At a glance
Madelia (PWSID MN1830004) is an active community water system in Watonwan County, Minnesota. It reports serving 2,319 people through 897 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2026.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
2,319
Service connections
897
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Madelia compare with other water systems in Watonwan County?
By EPA's size categories, Madelia is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Watonwan County has 12 active public water systems, and Madelia is the 2nd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 3.3 times the county average of 695 people per system, and accounts for 28% of the 8,336 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 Madelia is about 65% 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 Madelia?
EPA lists Madelia 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 12 active systems in Watonwan County (75%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Madelia have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2026. The violations listed here began between August 1992 and April 2026. By type: 4 monitoring and reporting, 1 required treatment not met and 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (4 of them). EPA lists 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-01 | Required treatment not metOCCT/SOWT Study/Recommendation · code 57 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2021-02-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1995-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1992-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
All 6 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.
Madelia: frequently asked questions
Who runs Madelia?
Madelia (PWSID MN1830004) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Madelia serve?
Madelia reports serving 2,319 people through 897 service connections in Watonwan County, Minnesota.
Where does Madelia 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 Madelia have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2026. 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 Madelia'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 6 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in April 2026. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Madelia's water quality report?
As a community water system, Madelia 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 Watonwan County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint James | Watonwan | 4,611 | Community | Groundwater |
| Butterfield | Watonwan | 586 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Lewisville | Watonwan | 225 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Ormsby | Watonwan | 129 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Odin | Watonwan | 109 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| St. James Golf Course/River'S Edge Grill | Watonwan | 100 | 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, “Madelia, PWSID MN1830004, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/madelia-mn1830004 (data as of October 1, 2026).