Public water system · TX1220003
ActiveUt Mcdonald Observatory
At a glance
Ut Mcdonald Observatory (PWSID TX1220003) is an active community water system in Jeff Davis County, Texas. It reports serving 163 people through 42 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a state government. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
163
Service connections
42
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Ut Mcdonald Observatory compare with other water systems in Jeff Davis County?
By EPA's size categories, Ut Mcdonald Observatory is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Jeff Davis County has 10 active public water systems, and Ut Mcdonald Observatory is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 25% below the county average of 217 people per system, and accounts for 7.5% of the 2,174 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Texas, the 7,078 active systems average 4,789 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Ut Mcdonald Observatory 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. Texas has 4,594 active community water systems, 65% of the state's 7,078 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 5,215 Texas systems (74%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Ut Mcdonald Observatory?
EPA lists Ut Mcdonald Observatory as owned by a state government. The TX state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 2 of the 10 active systems in Jeff Davis County (20%) are also owned by a state government.
Does Ut Mcdonald Observatory have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. The violations listed here began between January 1991 and July 2025. By type: 4 monitoring and reporting, 3 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 1 reporting and 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Lead and Copper Rule (2 of them). EPA lists 8 as resolved and 1 as archived. 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. 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.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-02 | ReportingNotification, Known or Potential LSL · code 4H | Lead and Copper Rule Revisionscode 5200 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-09-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-12-30 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2016-02-08 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-06-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 1991-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Minor (TCR) · code 26 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
All 9 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.
Ut Mcdonald Observatory: frequently asked questions
Who runs Ut Mcdonald Observatory?
Ut Mcdonald Observatory (PWSID TX1220003) is a community water system owned by a state government. It is regulated by the TX state drinking water program.
How many people does Ut Mcdonald Observatory serve?
Ut Mcdonald Observatory reports serving 163 people through 42 service connections in Jeff Davis County, Texas.
Where does Ut Mcdonald Observatory 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 Ut Mcdonald Observatory have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. 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 Ut Mcdonald Observatory'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. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the TX state drinking water program.
Where can I find Ut Mcdonald Observatory's water quality report?
As a community water system, Ut Mcdonald Observatory 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 Jeff Davis County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Davis WSC | Jeff Davis | 986 | Community | Groundwater |
| Buffalo Trail Boy Scout Ranch | Jeff Davis | 410 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| City of Valentine | Jeff Davis | 190 | Community | Groundwater |
| Prude Ranch | Jeff Davis | 100 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Fort Davis Estates | Jeff Davis | 100 | Community | Groundwater |
| High Frontier | Jeff Davis | 87 | 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, “Ut Mcdonald Observatory, PWSID TX1220003, Texas”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/texas/ut-mcdonald-observatory-tx1220003 (data as of October 1, 2026).