Public water system · MN1730016
ActiveMelrose
At a glance
Melrose (PWSID MN1730016) is an active community water system in Stearns County, Minnesota. It reports serving 3,886 people through 1,629 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 1999.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
3,886
Service connections
1,629
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Melrose compare with other water systems in Stearns County?
By EPA's size categories, Melrose is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Stearns County has 212 active public water systems. Its population served is about 5 times the county average of 783 people per system, and accounts for 2.3% of the 165,903 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 Melrose 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 Melrose?
EPA lists Melrose 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. 36 of the 212 active systems in Stearns County (17%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Melrose have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 1999. The violations listed here began between February 1993 and September 1999. By type: 2 contaminant level above the legal limit and 2 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (3 of them). EPA lists 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1997-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1995-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1993-02-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
All 4 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.
Melrose: frequently asked questions
Who runs Melrose?
Melrose (PWSID MN1730016) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Melrose serve?
Melrose reports serving 3,886 people through 1,629 service connections in Stearns County, Minnesota.
Where does Melrose 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 Melrose have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 1999. 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 Melrose'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 4 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 1999. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Melrose's water quality report?
As a community water system, Melrose 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 Stearns County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Cloud | Stearns | 71,321 | Community | Surface water |
| Sartell | Stearns | 20,300 | Community | Groundwater |
| Waite Park | Stearns | 8,354 | Community | Groundwater |
| Saint Joseph | Stearns | 7,100 | Community | Groundwater |
| Sauk Centre | Stearns | 4,657 | Community | Groundwater |
| Cold Spring | Stearns | 4,201 | 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, “Melrose, PWSID MN1730016, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/melrose-mn1730016 (data as of October 1, 2026).