Public water system · MN1830005
ActiveOrmsby
At a glance
Ormsby (PWSID MN1830005) is an active community water system in Watonwan County, Minnesota. It reports serving 129 people through 85 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 8 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
129
Service connections
85
Primary source
GWP
Purchased groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Ormsby compare with other water systems in Watonwan County?
By EPA's size categories, Ormsby is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Watonwan County has 12 active public water systems, and Ormsby is the 5th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is well below the county average of 695 people per system, and accounts for 1.5% 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 Ormsby 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. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 89 Minnesota systems (1.4%) list purchased groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Ormsby?
EPA lists Ormsby 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 Ormsby have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. The violations listed here began between January 1996 and July 2025. By type: 7 monitoring and reporting and 1 reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (7 of them). EPA lists 5 as archived and 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-02 | ReportingNotification, Known or Potential LSL · code 4H | Lead and Copper Rule Revisionscode 5200 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1998-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1997-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1997-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1996-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
All 8 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.
Ormsby: frequently asked questions
Who runs Ormsby?
Ormsby (PWSID MN1830005) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Ormsby serve?
Ormsby reports serving 129 people through 85 service connections in Watonwan County, Minnesota.
Where does Ormsby get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased groundwater. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Ormsby have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 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 Ormsby'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 8 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 Ormsby's water quality report?
As a community water system, Ormsby 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 |
| Madelia | Watonwan | 2,319 | Community | Groundwater |
| Butterfield | Watonwan | 586 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Lewisville | Watonwan | 225 | 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, “Ormsby, PWSID MN1830005, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/ormsby-mn1830005 (data as of October 1, 2026).