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Otter Tail County, Minnesota — public water systems

At a glance

270 active public water systems are filed under Otter Tail County, Minnesota in EPA's SDWIS records, together reporting 44,181 people served. The largest is Fergus Falls, which reports serving 14,194 people. 16 are community water systems serving people where they live; the other 254 are non-community systems, such as schools, workplaces, campgrounds and gas stations with their own supply.

Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO, refreshed quarterly.

Active systems

270

Population served

44.2K

Community systems

16

Groundwater share

99.6%

How does Otter Tail County compare with other Minnesota counties?

Otter Tail County has the 3rd-most active public water systems among the 94 counties listed for active Minnesota systems in EPA records; among the 87 with 3 or more systems, the median has 49. Its systems report 44,181 people served in total, the 18th-largest county figure in the state and 0.8% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 164 people, well below the Minnesota average of 820. Population figures are what each system reports; people served by more than one system, such as a wholesaler and the town that buys from it, are counted by each.

Where does Otter Tail County's drinking water come from?

By primary water source, Otter Tail County's active systems draw on groundwater (268, 99%), surface water (1, 0.4%) and purchased groundwater (1, 0.4%). Overall, 100% rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and 0.4% on surface water, compared with 98% and 1.5% across Minnesota. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. The county's largest system, Fergus Falls, draws primarily on surface water.

What kinds of water systems operate in Otter Tail County?

Otter Tail County's active systems break down as 16 community systems (5.9%), 3 non-transient non-community systems (1.1%) and 251 transient non-community systems (93%). 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. A non-transient non-community water system regularly serves at least 25 of the same people for more than six months a year, but not where they live. Schools, factories, office buildings and hospitals with their own supply are typical examples. A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. EPA lists their owner types as private (89%), local government (10%) and state government (1.5%).

The 50 largest water systems in Otter Tail County

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Active public water systems in Otter Tail County, Minnesota
#Water systemCountyPopulation servedTypeSource
1Fergus FallsOtter Tail14,194CommunitySurface water
2PerhamOtter Tail3,421CommunityGroundwater
3Pelican RapidsOtter Tail2,577CommunityGroundwater
4New York MillsOtter Tail1,287CommunityGroundwater
5Parkers PrairieOtter Tail1,023CommunityGroundwater
6Battle LakeOtter Tail918CommunityGroundwater
7HenningOtter Tail851CommunityGroundwater
8OttertailOtter Tail694CommunityPurchased groundwater
9Young Life Castaway ClubOtter Tail450Transient non-communityGroundwater
10Lakeland General StoreOtter Tail400Transient non-communityGroundwater
11UnderwoodOtter Tail380CommunityGroundwater
12VergasOtter Tail358CommunityGroundwater
13Deer CreekOtter Tail329CommunityGroundwater
14Zion Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail300Transient non-communityGroundwater
15St. John'S Catholic ChurchOtter Tail300Transient non-communityGroundwater
16Silver Moon LoungeOtter Tail250Transient non-communityGroundwater
17Fair Hills ResortOtter Tail250Transient non-communityGroundwater
18Legacy Lakeside ResortOtter Tail225Transient non-communityGroundwater
19Otter Tail Lake CampgroundOtter Tail215Transient non-communityGroundwater
20DaltonOtter Tail209CommunityGroundwater
21Golden Eagle VacationlandOtter Tail200Transient non-communityGroundwater
22Delagoon Park & Recreation AreaOtter Tail200Transient non-communityGroundwater
23North Central Camp Cherith, Inc..Otter Tail200Transient non-communityGroundwater
24St. Lawrence Catholic ChurchOtter Tail180Transient non-communityGroundwater
25Spanky'S Stone HearthOtter Tail175Transient non-communityGroundwater
26Pelican Hills Rv ParkOtter Tail170Transient non-communityGroundwater
27ElizabethOtter Tail168CommunityGroundwater
28Zion Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail150Transient non-communityGroundwater
29Hansel Lake Rest Area MndotOtter Tail150Transient non-communityGroundwater
30Lakes Inn at DunvillaOtter Tail150Transient non-communityGroundwater
31Ten Mile Lake Resort, Inc..Otter Tail150Transient non-communityGroundwater
32St. John'S Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail150Transient non-communityGroundwater
33Lake Lizzie Shores ResortOtter Tail150Transient non-communityGroundwater
34Immanual Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail150Transient non-communityGroundwater
35Zorbaz of Pelican Lake, Inc..Otter Tail150Transient non-communityGroundwater
36St. John'S Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail150Transient non-communityGroundwater
37Zion Lutheran Church North EffingtonOtter Tail150Transient non-communityGroundwater
38Wee Villa ResortOtter Tail150Transient non-communityGroundwater
39Swan Lake ResortOtter Tail150Transient non-communityGroundwater
40St. James Catholic ChurchOtter Tail140Transient non-communityGroundwater
41North Immanuel Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail130Transient non-communityGroundwater
42Esther Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail130Transient non-communityGroundwater
43Sacred Heart Catholic ChurchOtter Tail130Transient non-communityGroundwater
44Stavanger Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail125Transient non-communityGroundwater
45Spirit of Hope Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail125Transient non-communityGroundwater
46Grue Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail125Transient non-communityGroundwater
47Central Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail125Transient non-communityGroundwater
48Glendalough State ParkOtter Tail125Transient non-communityGroundwater
49Grace Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail120Transient non-communityGroundwater
50Immanuel Lutheran ChurchOtter Tail120Transient non-communityGroundwater

All other water systems in Otter Tail County (220)

The remaining active systems filed under Otter Tail County, largest first, with the population each reports serving.

Otter Tail County water systems: frequently asked questions

How many public water systems are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota?

EPA's SDWIS records file 270 active public water systems under Otter Tail County, Minnesota: 16 community systems (5.9%), 3 non-transient non-community systems (1.1%) and 251 transient non-community systems (93%).

Who supplies drinking water in Otter Tail County, MN?

The largest community water systems filed under Otter Tail County are Fergus Falls (14,194 people served), Perham (3,421 people served) and Pelican Rapids (2,577 people served). Which system serves a particular address depends on its service area, which EPA's SDWIS records do not include; a water bill or the local utility can confirm it.

Does Otter Tail County's drinking water come from groundwater or surface water?

Of the 270 active public water systems in Otter Tail County, 100% draw mainly on groundwater and 0.4% on surface water, counting purchased supplies. The largest system, Fergus Falls, uses surface water.

Where can I find a water quality report for Otter Tail County?

Each community water system must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1, covering the previous calendar year. 16 community systems are filed under Otter Tail County, so the report to look for is the one from the system that supplies your address.

How can I check violations for a water system in Otter Tail County?

Open the system's profile from the list on this page. Each profile shows the most recent Safe Drinking Water Act violations in EPA's records, with plain-English labels and whether each one is resolved. For current compliance status, EPA ECHO is the primary source.

More Minnesota water systems

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, “Public water systems in Otter Tail County, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/otter-tail (data as of October 1, 2026).