Public water system · WA53FS021
ActiveJohnston Ridge Observatory
At a glance
Johnston Ridge Observatory (PWSID WA53FS021) is an active transient non-community water system in Skamania County, Washington. It reports serving 2,506 people through 4 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by the federal government. EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2022.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
2,506
Service connections
4
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
TNCWS
Transient non-community water system
System record
How does Johnston Ridge Observatory compare with other water systems in Skamania County?
By EPA's size categories, Johnston Ridge Observatory is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Skamania County has 56 active public water systems, and Johnston Ridge Observatory is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 7.5 times the county average of 335 people per system, and accounts for 13% of the 18,736 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Washington, the 4,705 active systems average 2,172 people each. Nationally, the average active transient non-community water system reports serving 144 people, so Johnston Ridge Observatory is about 17 times that figure.
What does “transient non-community water system” mean?
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. Washington has 1,913 active transient non-community water systems, 41% of the state's 4,705 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 4,370 Washington systems (93%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Johnston Ridge Observatory?
EPA lists Johnston Ridge Observatory as owned by the federal government. The WA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 18 of the 56 active systems in Skamania County (32%) are also owned by the federal government.
Does Johnston Ridge Observatory have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2022. The violations listed here began between September 2018 and July 2022. By type: 8 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Revised Total Coliform Rule (8 of them). EPA lists 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-07-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-09-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-08-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-07-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-06-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-05-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-08-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-09-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
All 8 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.
Johnston Ridge Observatory: frequently asked questions
Who runs Johnston Ridge Observatory?
Johnston Ridge Observatory (PWSID WA53FS021) is a transient non-community water system owned by the federal government. It is regulated by the WA state drinking water program.
How many people does Johnston Ridge Observatory serve?
Johnston Ridge Observatory reports serving 2,506 people through 4 service connections in Skamania County, Washington.
Where does Johnston Ridge 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 Johnston Ridge Observatory have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2022. 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 Johnston Ridge 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 8 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2022. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the WA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Johnston Ridge Observatory's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. Johnston Ridge Observatory is a transient non-community water system, so it is not required to publish one; like every public water system, it must notify the people it serves about violations under EPA's public notification rules.
Other water systems in Skamania County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stevenson Water Dept | Skamania | 4,702 | Community | Surface water |
| Carson | Skamania | 3,015 | Community | Surface water |
| Beacon Rock State Park 1 | Skamania | 1,375 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| North Bonneville City of | Skamania | 1,048 | Community | Groundwater |
| Underwood | Skamania | 1,000 | Community | Groundwater |
| Cape Horn Skye Grade School | Skamania | 610 | Non-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, “Johnston Ridge Observatory, PWSID WA53FS021, Washington”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/washington/johnston-ridge-observatory-wa53fs021 (data as of October 1, 2026).