Public water system · SD4600078
ActiveBuffalo
At a glance
Buffalo (PWSID SD4600078) is an active community water system in Harding County, South Dakota. It reports serving 346 people through 240 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2011.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
346
Service connections
240
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Buffalo compare with other water systems in Harding County?
By EPA's size categories, Buffalo is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Harding County has 1 active public water system, and Buffalo is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is roughly in line with the county average of 346 people per system, and accounts for 100% of the 346 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across South Dakota, the 699 active systems average 1,387 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Buffalo 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. South Dakota has 510 active community water systems, 73% of the state's 699 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 431 South Dakota systems (62%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Buffalo?
EPA lists Buffalo as owned by a local government. The SD state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 1 of the 1 active systems in Harding County (100%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Buffalo have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2011. The violations listed here began between January 1996 and July 2011. By type: 8 monitoring and reporting and 4 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (7 of them). EPA lists 8 as archived and 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 1997-11-09 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherNotification, Public · code 06 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1997-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1997-02-12 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherNotification, Public · code 06 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1996-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1996-11-11 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherNotification, Public · code 06 | Not reported | No | Archived |
| 1996-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1996-07-13 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherNotification, Public · code 06 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1996-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Alachlor (Lasso)code 2051 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Oxamylcode 2036 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Pentachlorophenolcode 2326 | No | Resolved |
The 12 most recent 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.
Buffalo: frequently asked questions
Who runs Buffalo?
Buffalo (PWSID SD4600078) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the SD state drinking water program.
How many people does Buffalo serve?
Buffalo reports serving 346 people through 240 service connections in Harding County, South Dakota.
Where does Buffalo 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 Buffalo have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2011. 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 Buffalo'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. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2011. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the SD state drinking water program.
Where can I find Buffalo's water quality report?
As a community water system, Buffalo 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.
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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, “Buffalo, PWSID SD4600078, South Dakota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/south-dakota/buffalo-sd4600078 (data as of October 1, 2026).