Public water system · MO4010721
ActiveSalem Pws
At a glance
Salem Pws (PWSID MO4010721) is an active community water system in Dent County, Missouri. It reports serving 4,736 people through 2,165 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
4,736
Service connections
2,165
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Salem Pws compare with other water systems in Dent County?
By EPA's size categories, Salem Pws is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Dent County has 16 active public water systems, and Salem Pws is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 8.7 times the county average of 543 people per system, and accounts for 54% of the 8,693 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Missouri, the 2,943 active systems average 2,049 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Salem Pws is about 29% 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. Missouri has 1,612 active community water systems, 55% of the state's 2,943 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 2,521 Missouri systems (86%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Salem Pws?
EPA lists Salem Pws as owned by a local government. The MO state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 7 of the 16 active systems in Dent County (44%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Salem Pws have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. The violations listed here began between July 1991 and July 2025. By type: 6 contaminant level above the legal limit, 1 reporting, 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (7 of them). EPA lists 7 as resolved, 1 as unaddressed and 1 as archived. 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. Unaddressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is not yet covered by formal enforcement. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-02 | ReportingNotification, Known or Potential LSL · code 4H | Lead and Copper Rule Revisionscode 5200 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2016-02-10 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2015-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1996-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1991-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1991-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1991-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
All 9 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.
Salem Pws: frequently asked questions
Who runs Salem Pws?
Salem Pws (PWSID MO4010721) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MO state drinking water program.
How many people does Salem Pws serve?
Salem Pws reports serving 4,736 people through 2,165 service connections in Dent County, Missouri.
Where does Salem Pws 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 Salem Pws have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 6 are 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 Salem Pws' 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 9 violations for this system; 6 are 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 MO state drinking water program.
Where can I find Salem Pws' water quality report?
As a community water system, Salem Pws 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 Dent County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dent County Pwsd 1 | Dent | 1,122 | Community | Groundwater |
| Montauk State Park | Dent | 1,100 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Bunker Pws | Dent | 407 | Community | Groundwater |
| Dent Phelps Elementary School | Dent | 258 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Green Forest Elementary School | Dent | 182 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Northwood Elementary School | Dent | 180 | Non-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, “Salem Pws, PWSID MO4010721, Missouri”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/missouri/salem-pws-mo4010721 (data as of October 1, 2026).