Public water system · MN1320005
ActiveOkabena
At a glance
Okabena (PWSID MN1320005) is an active community water system in Jackson County, Minnesota. It reports serving 188 people through 108 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 July 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
188
Service connections
108
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Okabena compare with other water systems in Jackson County?
By EPA's size categories, Okabena is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Jackson County has 13 active public water systems, and Okabena is the 5th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 63% below the county average of 512 people per system, and accounts for 2.8% of the 6,655 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 Okabena 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. 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 Okabena?
EPA lists Okabena 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. 7 of the 13 active systems in Jackson County (54%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Okabena have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. The violations listed here began between April 2025 and July 2025. By type: 1 reporting, 1 monitoring and 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminants or rules involved are Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, Revised Total Coliform Rule and Chlorine. EPA lists 3 as resolved. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-02 | ReportingNotification, Known or Potential LSL · code 4H | Lead and Copper Rule Revisionscode 5200 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-04-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
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.
Okabena: frequently asked questions
Who runs Okabena?
Okabena (PWSID MN1320005) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Okabena serve?
Okabena reports serving 188 people through 108 service connections in Jackson County, Minnesota.
Where does Okabena 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 Okabena have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. 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 Okabena'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 July 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Okabena's water quality report?
As a community water system, Okabena 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 Jackson County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | Jackson | 3,323 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lakefield | Jackson | 1,694 | Community | Groundwater |
| Heron Lake | Jackson | 691 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| St. Paul Lutheran Church | Jackson | 300 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church | Jackson | 150 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Alpha | Jackson | 112 | 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, “Okabena, PWSID MN1320005, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/okabena-mn1320005 (data as of October 1, 2026).