McHenry County, North Dakota — public water systems
At a glance
7 active public water systems are filed under McHenry County, North Dakota in EPA's SDWIS records, together reporting 2,316 people served. The largest is City of Velva, which reports serving 1,084 people. 6 are community water systems serving people where they live; the other 1 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
7
Population served
2.3K
Community systems
6
Groundwater share
100%
How does McHenry County compare with other North Dakota counties?
McHenry County has the 20th-most active public water systems among the 61 counties listed for active North Dakota systems in EPA records; among the 49 with 3 or more systems, the median has 6. Its systems report 2,316 people served in total, the 29th-largest county figure in the state and 0.3% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 331 people, well below the North Dakota average of 1,864. 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 McHenry County's drinking water come from?
By primary water source, McHenry County's active systems draw on groundwater (5, 71%) and purchased groundwater (2, 29%). Overall, all rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and none on surface water, compared with 74% and 26% across North Dakota. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. The county's largest system, City of Velva, draws primarily on groundwater.
What kinds of water systems operate in McHenry County?
McHenry County's active systems break down as 6 community systems (86%) and 1 transient non-community systems (14%). 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 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 local government (86%) and state government (14%).
Water systems in McHenry County
🔒 Create a free account to export CSV| # | Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Velva City of | McHenry | 1,084 | Community | Groundwater |
| 2 | Towner City of | McHenry | 479 | Community | Groundwater |
| 3 | Drake City of | McHenry | 275 | Community | Groundwater |
| 4 | Granville City of | McHenry | 241 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| 5 | Upham City of | McHenry | 130 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| 6 | Karlsruhe City of | McHenry | 82 | Community | Groundwater |
| 7 | Towner State Nursery | McHenry | 25 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
McHenry County water systems: frequently asked questions
How many public water systems are in McHenry County, North Dakota?
EPA's SDWIS records file 7 active public water systems under McHenry County, North Dakota: 6 community systems (86%) and 1 transient non-community systems (14%).
Who supplies drinking water in McHenry County, ND?
The largest community water systems filed under McHenry County are City of Velva (1,084 people served), City of Towner (479 people served) and City of Drake (275 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 McHenry County's drinking water come from groundwater or surface water?
Of the 7 active public water systems in McHenry County, all draw mainly on groundwater and none on surface water, counting purchased supplies. The largest system, City of Velva, uses groundwater.
Where can I find a water quality report for McHenry 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. 6 community systems are filed under McHenry 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 McHenry 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 North Dakota 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 McHenry County, North Dakota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/north-dakota/mchenry (data as of October 1, 2026).