Public water system · MN1560019
ActivePelican Rapids
At a glance
Pelican Rapids (PWSID MN1560019) is an active community water system in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. It reports serving 2,577 people through 778 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in March 1999.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
2,577
Service connections
778
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Pelican Rapids compare with other water systems in Otter Tail County?
By EPA's size categories, Pelican Rapids is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Otter Tail County has 270 active public water systems, and Pelican Rapids is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 16 times the county average of 164 people per system, and accounts for 5.8% of the 44,181 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 Pelican Rapids is about 62% 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 Pelican Rapids?
EPA lists Pelican Rapids 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. 27 of the 270 active systems in Otter Tail County (10%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Pelican Rapids have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in March 1999. By type: 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved is Total coliform bacteria (TCR). EPA lists 1 as archived. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-03-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
The one violation in EPA's records.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.
Pelican Rapids: frequently asked questions
Who runs Pelican Rapids?
Pelican Rapids (PWSID MN1560019) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Pelican Rapids serve?
Pelican Rapids reports serving 2,577 people through 778 service connections in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Where does Pelican Rapids 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 Pelican Rapids have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in March 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 Pelican Rapids' 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 one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in March 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 Pelican Rapids' water quality report?
As a community water system, Pelican Rapids 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 Otter Tail County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fergus Falls | Otter Tail | 14,194 | Community | Surface water |
| Perham | Otter Tail | 3,421 | Community | Groundwater |
| New York Mills | Otter Tail | 1,287 | Community | Groundwater |
| Parkers Prairie | Otter Tail | 1,023 | Community | Groundwater |
| Battle Lake | Otter Tail | 918 | Community | Groundwater |
| Henning | Otter Tail | 851 | 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, “Pelican Rapids, PWSID MN1560019, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/pelican-rapids-mn1560019 (data as of October 1, 2026).