Public water system · MN5010274
ActiveSandy Lake Recreation Area
At a glance
Sandy Lake Recreation Area (PWSID MN5010274) is an active transient non-community water system in Aitkin County, Minnesota. It reports serving 50 people through 6 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by the federal government. EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is health-based, and the most recent began in May 2004.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
50
Service connections
6
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
TNCWS
Transient non-community water system
System record
How does Sandy Lake Recreation Area compare with other water systems in Aitkin County?
By EPA's size categories, Sandy Lake Recreation Area is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Aitkin County has 121 active public water systems. Its population served is about half of the county average of 97 people per system, and accounts for 0.4% of the 11,764 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Minnesota, the 6,465 active systems average 820 people each. Nationally, the average active transient non-community water system reports serving 144 people, so Sandy Lake Recreation Area is about 65% below that figure.
What does “transient non-community water system” mean?
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. Minnesota has 5,008 active transient non-community water systems, 77% 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 Sandy Lake Recreation Area?
EPA lists Sandy Lake Recreation Area as owned by the federal 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. 2 of the 121 active systems in Aitkin County (1.7%) are also owned by the federal government.
Does Sandy Lake Recreation Area have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is health-based, and the most recent began in May 2004. By type: 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved is Total coliform bacteria (TCR). EPA lists 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
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.
Sandy Lake Recreation Area: frequently asked questions
Who runs Sandy Lake Recreation Area?
Sandy Lake Recreation Area (PWSID MN5010274) is a transient non-community water system owned by the federal government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Sandy Lake Recreation Area serve?
Sandy Lake Recreation Area reports serving 50 people through 6 service connections in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
Where does Sandy Lake Recreation Area 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 Sandy Lake Recreation Area have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is health-based, and the most recent began in May 2004. 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 Sandy Lake Recreation Area'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 one violation for this system; it is health-based, and the most recent began in May 2004. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Sandy Lake Recreation Area's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. Sandy Lake Recreation Area is a transient non-community water system, so it is not required to publish one; like every public water system, it must notify the people it serves about violations under EPA's public notification rules.
Other water systems in Aitkin County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aitkin | Aitkin | 2,165 | Community | Groundwater |
| Sherwood Forest | Aitkin | 800 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Hill City | Aitkin | 633 | Community | Groundwater |
| Mcgregor | Aitkin | 394 | Community | Groundwater |
| Covenant Pines Bible Camp | Aitkin | 250 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints | Aitkin | 200 | 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, “Sandy Lake Recreation Area, PWSID MN5010274, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/sandy-lake-recreation-area-mn5010274 (data as of October 1, 2026).