Hughes County, South Dakota — public water systems
At a glance
6 active public water systems are filed under Hughes County, South Dakota in EPA's SDWIS records, together reporting 27,114 people served. The largest is Pierre, which reports serving 14,091 people. 5 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
6
Population served
27.1K
Community systems
5
Groundwater share
16.7%
How does Hughes County compare with other South Dakota counties?
Hughes County has the 23rd-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 27,114 people served in total, the 7th-largest county figure in the state and 2.8% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 4,519 people, about 3.3 times 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 Hughes County's drinking water come from?
By primary water source, Hughes County's active systems draw on purchased surface water (3, 50%), surface water (2, 33%) and groundwater (1, 17%). Overall, 17% rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and 83% on surface water, compared with 76% and 24% across South Dakota. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. The county's largest system, Pierre, draws primarily on surface water.
What kinds of water systems operate in Hughes County?
Hughes County's active systems break down as 5 community systems (83%) and 1 transient non-community systems (17%). 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 (50%), private (33%) and state government (17%).
Water systems in Hughes County
🔒 Create a free account to export CSV| # | Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pierre | Hughes | 14,091 | Community | Surface water |
| 2 | Mid-Dakota Rural Water | Hughes + 3 more | 11,833 | Community | Surface water |
| 3 | Spring Creek Sanitary District | Hughes | 465 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 4 | Blunt | Hughes | 350 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 5 | Tmt, Inc.. | Hughes | 250 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 6 | Gfp-West Bend Recreation Area | Hughes | 125 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
Hughes County water systems: frequently asked questions
How many public water systems are in Hughes County, South Dakota?
EPA's SDWIS records file 6 active public water systems under Hughes County, South Dakota: 5 community systems (83%) and 1 transient non-community systems (17%).
Who supplies drinking water in Hughes County, SD?
The largest community water systems filed under Hughes County are Pierre (14,091 people served), Mid-Dakota Rural Water (11,833 people served) and Spring Creek Sanitary District (465 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 Hughes County's drinking water come from groundwater or surface water?
Of the 6 active public water systems in Hughes County, 17% draw mainly on groundwater and 83% on surface water, counting purchased supplies. The largest system, Pierre, uses surface water.
Where can I find a water quality report for Hughes 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. 5 community systems are filed under Hughes 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 Hughes 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
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 Hughes County, South Dakota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/south-dakota/hughes (data as of October 1, 2026).