Public water system · SD4600101
ActiveCuster
At a glance
Custer (PWSID SD4600101) is an active community water system in Custer County, South Dakota. It reports serving 1,919 people through 1,200 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 1998.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,919
Service connections
1,200
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Custer compare with other water systems in Custer County?
By EPA's size categories, Custer is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Custer County has 49 active public water systems, and Custer is the 2nd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 7 times the county average of 274 people per system, and accounts for 14% of the 13,414 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 Custer 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 Custer?
EPA lists Custer 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. 7 of the 49 active systems in Custer County (14%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Custer 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 1998. The violations listed here began between January 1996 and July 1998. By type: 12 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Lead and Copper Rule (2 of them). EPA lists 12 as resolved. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingInitial Tap Sampling for Pb and Cu · code 51 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingInitial Tap Sampling for Pb and Cu · code 51 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Toxaphenecode 2020 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Atrazinecode 2050 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Benzo(a)pyrenecode 2306 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Methoxychlorcode 2015 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Hexachlorocyclopentadienecode 2042 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalatecode 2039 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Endrincode 2005 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Aldicarb sulfoxidecode 2043 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Oxamylcode 2036 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Heptachlor epoxidecode 2067 | 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.
Custer: frequently asked questions
Who runs Custer?
Custer (PWSID SD4600101) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the SD state drinking water program.
How many people does Custer serve?
Custer reports serving 1,919 people through 1,200 service connections in Custer County, South Dakota.
Where does Custer 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 Custer 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 1998. 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 Custer'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 1998. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the SD state drinking water program.
Where can I find Custer's water quality report?
As a community water system, Custer 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 Custer County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laughing Water Restaurant at Crazy H | Custer | 2,055 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Nps-Wind Cave National Park | Custer | 1,404 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Southern Black Hills Water | Custer + 1 more | 947 | Community | Groundwater |
| Csp-Sylvan Lake | Custer | 799 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Csp-Game Lodge | Custer | 541 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Black Hawk Oil Company | Custer | 500 | 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, “Custer, PWSID SD4600101, South Dakota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/south-dakota/custer-sd4600101 (data as of October 1, 2026).