Public water system · WA5370980
ActiveRainier Water Department
At a glance
Rainier Water Department (PWSID WA5370980) is an active community water system in Thurston County, Washington. It reports serving 2,758 people through 730 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 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
2,758
Service connections
730
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Rainier Water Department compare with other water systems in Thurston County?
By EPA's size categories, Rainier Water Department is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Thurston County has 322 active public water systems. Its population served is about 124% above the county average of 1,233 people per system, and accounts for 0.7% of the 397,060 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Washington, the 4,705 active systems average 2,172 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Rainier Water Department is about 59% 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. Washington has 2,392 active community water systems, 51% 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 Rainier Water Department?
EPA lists Rainier Water Department as owned by a local 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. 73 of the 322 active systems in Thurston County (23%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Rainier Water Department 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 2025. The violations listed here began between January 2002 and July 2025. By type: 9 monitoring and reporting and 3 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Consumer Confidence Rule (3 of them). EPA lists 11 as resolved and 1 as unaddressed. 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. Unaddressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is not yet covered by formal enforcement.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2017-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzenecode 2378 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Toluenecode 2991 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,1,2-Trichloroethanecode 2985 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Chlorobenzenecode 2989 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Dichloromethanecode 2964 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | o-Dichlorobenzenecode 2968 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Vinyl chloridecode 2976 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,1-Dichloroethylenecode 2977 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | cis-1,2-Dichloroethylenecode 2380 | 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.
Rainier Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Rainier Water Department?
Rainier Water Department (PWSID WA5370980) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the WA state drinking water program.
How many people does Rainier Water Department serve?
Rainier Water Department reports serving 2,758 people through 730 service connections in Thurston County, Washington.
Where does Rainier Water Department 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 Rainier Water Department 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 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 Rainier Water Department'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 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the WA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Rainier Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Rainier Water Department 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 Thurston County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia City of | Thurston | 126,966 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lacey Water Department | Thurston | 105,178 | Community | Groundwater |
| Tumwater City of | Thurston | 51,802 | Community | Groundwater |
| Yelm City of | Thurston | 17,355 | Community | Groundwater |
| Tanglewilde Thompson Place 600 | Thurston | 7,900 | Community | Groundwater |
| Pattison 500 | Thurston | 4,643 | 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, “Rainier Water Department, PWSID WA5370980, Washington”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/washington/rainier-water-department-wa5370980 (data as of October 1, 2026).