Public water system · MN1590007
ActiveRuthton
At a glance
Ruthton (PWSID MN1590007) is an active community water system in Pipestone County, Minnesota. It reports serving 220 people through 169 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2014.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
220
Service connections
169
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Ruthton compare with other water systems in Pipestone County?
By EPA's size categories, Ruthton is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Pipestone County has 12 active public water systems, and Ruthton is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 63% below the county average of 597 people per system, and accounts for 3.1% of the 7,166 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 Ruthton 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 Ruthton?
EPA lists Ruthton 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 Pipestone County (75%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Ruthton have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2014. The violations listed here began between January 1994 and October 2014. By type: 5 monitoring and reporting and 2 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (5 of them). EPA lists 5 as archived and 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Archived |
| 2014-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 2001-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1998-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1997-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1994-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1994-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingWater Quality Parameter M/R · code 53 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Archived |
All 7 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.
Ruthton: frequently asked questions
Who runs Ruthton?
Ruthton (PWSID MN1590007) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Ruthton serve?
Ruthton reports serving 220 people through 169 service connections in Pipestone County, Minnesota.
Where does Ruthton 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 Ruthton have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 7 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2014. 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 Ruthton'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 7 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2014. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Ruthton's water quality report?
As a community water system, Ruthton 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 Pipestone County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pipestone | Pipestone | 4,273 | Community | Groundwater |
| Edgerton | Pipestone | 1,281 | Community | Groundwater |
| Jasper | Pipestone | 623 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Holland | Pipestone | 187 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Split Rock Creek State Park | Pipestone | 156 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Woodstock | Pipestone | 108 | Community | Purchased 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, “Ruthton, PWSID MN1590007, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/ruthton-mn1590007 (data as of October 1, 2026).