Nelson County, North Dakota — public water systems
At a glance
6 active public water systems are filed under Nelson County, North Dakota in EPA's SDWIS records, together reporting 4,204 people served. The largest is Tri-County Water District, which reports serving 2,501 people. All 6 are community water systems serving people where they live.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO, refreshed quarterly.
Active systems
6
Population served
4.2K
Community systems
6
Groundwater share
100%
How does Nelson County compare with other North Dakota counties?
Nelson County has the 25th-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 4,204 people served in total, the 24th-largest county figure in the state and 0.6% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 701 people, about 62% 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 Nelson County's drinking water come from?
By primary water source, Nelson County's active systems draw on groundwater (4, 67%) and purchased groundwater (2, 33%). 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, Tri-County Water District, draws primarily on groundwater.
What kinds of water systems operate in Nelson County?
Nelson County's active systems break down as 6 community systems (100%). 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. EPA lists their owner types as local government (83%) and private (17%).
Water systems in Nelson County
🔒 Create a free account to export CSV| # | Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tri-County Water District | Nelson | 2,501 | Community | Groundwater |
| 2 | Lakota City of | Nelson | 672 | Community | Groundwater |
| 3 | Mcville City of | Nelson | 349 | Community | Groundwater |
| 4 | Michigan City of | Nelson | 294 | Community | Groundwater |
| 5 | Aneta City of | Nelson | 222 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| 6 | Tolna City of | Nelson | 166 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
Nelson County water systems: frequently asked questions
How many public water systems are in Nelson County, North Dakota?
EPA's SDWIS records file 6 active public water systems under Nelson County, North Dakota: 6 community systems (100%).
Who supplies drinking water in Nelson County, ND?
The largest community water systems filed under Nelson County are Tri-County Water District (2,501 people served), City of Lakota (672 people served) and City of Mcville (349 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 Nelson County's drinking water come from groundwater or surface water?
Of the 6 active public water systems in Nelson County, all draw mainly on groundwater and none on surface water, counting purchased supplies. The largest system, Tri-County Water District, uses groundwater.
Where can I find a water quality report for Nelson 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 Nelson 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 Nelson 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 Nelson County, North Dakota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/north-dakota/nelson (data as of October 1, 2026).