Butte County, South Dakota — public water systems
At a glance
10 active public water systems are filed under Butte County, South Dakota in EPA's SDWIS records, together reporting 8,972 people served. The largest is Belle Fourche, which reports serving 5,617 people. All 10 are community water systems serving people where they live.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO, refreshed quarterly.
Active systems
10
Population served
9K
Community systems
10
Groundwater share
100%
How does Butte County compare with other South Dakota counties?
Butte County has the 10th-most active public water systems among the 73 counties listed for active South Dakota systems in EPA records; among the 48 with 3 or more systems, the median has 6. Its systems report 8,972 people served in total, the 23rd-largest county figure in the state and 0.9% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 897 people, about 35% below the South Dakota average of 1,387. 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 Butte County's drinking water come from?
By primary water source, Butte County's active systems draw on groundwater (6, 60%) and purchased groundwater (4, 40%). Overall, all rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and none on surface water, compared with 76% and 24% across South Dakota. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. The county's largest system, Belle Fourche, draws primarily on groundwater.
What kinds of water systems operate in Butte County?
Butte County's active systems break down as 10 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 (60%) and private (40%).
Water systems in Butte County
🔒 Create a free account to export CSV| # | Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belle Fourche | Butte | 5,617 | Community | Groundwater |
| 2 | Butte-Meade Swd-Bean Well | Butte + 1 more | 1,481 | Community | Groundwater |
| 3 | Newell | Butte | 583 | Community | Groundwater |
| 4 | Butte-Meade Swd-Vale Well | Butte + 1 more | 357 | Community | Groundwater |
| 5 | Hay Creek Water Company | Butte | 323 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| 6 | Nisland | Butte | 206 | Community | Groundwater |
| 7 | Black Hills Water Distribution, LLC | Butte | 135 | Community | Groundwater |
| 8 | Vale Sanitary District | Butte | 120 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| 9 | Fruitdale | Butte | 75 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| 10 | Riverside Mobile Home Court | Butte | 75 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
Butte County water systems: frequently asked questions
How many public water systems are in Butte County, South Dakota?
EPA's SDWIS records file 10 active public water systems under Butte County, South Dakota: 10 community systems (100%).
Who supplies drinking water in Butte County, SD?
The largest community water systems filed under Butte County are Belle Fourche (5,617 people served), Butte-Meade Swd-Bean Well (1,481 people served) and Newell (583 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 Butte County's drinking water come from groundwater or surface water?
Of the 10 active public water systems in Butte County, all draw mainly on groundwater and none on surface water, counting purchased supplies. The largest system, Belle Fourche, uses groundwater.
Where can I find a water quality report for Butte 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. 10 community systems are filed under Butte 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 Butte 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 South Dakota water systems
- All South Dakota public water systems· 699 active
- Minnehaha County· 15 systems
- Fall River County· 13 systems
- Brookings County· 12 systems
- Roberts County· 11 systems
- Spink County· 10 systems
- Lincoln County· 9 systems
- How to find out who supplies your drinking water
- How to find and read your annual water quality report
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 Butte County, South Dakota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/south-dakota/butte (data as of October 1, 2026).