Public water system · WA5324881
ActiveSteptoe Water/Sewer District
At a glance
Steptoe Water/Sewer District (PWSID WA5324881) is an active community water system in Whitman County, Washington. It reports serving 210 people through 91 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 January 2023.
This page covers its drinking water system only; sewer and wastewater service are not part of EPA's drinking water records.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
210
Service connections
91
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Steptoe Water/Sewer District compare with other water systems in Whitman County?
By EPA's size categories, Steptoe Water/Sewer District is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Whitman County has 33 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 2,055 people per system, and accounts for 0.3% of the 67,820 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 Steptoe Water/Sewer District 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. 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 Steptoe Water/Sewer District?
EPA lists Steptoe Water/Sewer District 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. 23 of the 33 active systems in Whitman County (70%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Steptoe Water/Sewer District have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2023. The violations listed here began between June 2006 and January 2023. By type: 9 monitoring and reporting and 3 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (4 of them). EPA lists 9 as resolved and 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2012-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2006-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 2006-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 2006-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
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.
Steptoe Water/Sewer District: frequently asked questions
Who runs Steptoe Water/Sewer District?
Steptoe Water/Sewer District (PWSID WA5324881) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the WA state drinking water program.
How many people does Steptoe Water/Sewer District serve?
Steptoe Water/Sewer District reports serving 210 people through 91 service connections in Whitman County, Washington.
Where does Steptoe Water/Sewer District 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 Steptoe Water/Sewer District 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 January 2023. 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 Steptoe Water/Sewer District'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 January 2023. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the WA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Steptoe Water/Sewer District's water quality report?
As a community water system, Steptoe Water/Sewer District 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 Whitman County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pullman Water Department City of | Whitman | 31,315 | Community | Groundwater |
| Washington State University | Whitman | 21,506 | Community | Groundwater |
| Colfax Water Department City of | Whitman | 3,507 | Community | Groundwater |
| Palouse Water Dept City of | Whitman | 1,298 | Community | Groundwater |
| Tekoa City of | Whitman | 1,076 | Community | Groundwater |
| Horn School Rest Area | Whitman | 833 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
Related pages
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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, “Steptoe Water/Sewer District, PWSID WA5324881, Washington”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/washington/steptoe-water-sewer-district-wa5324881 (data as of October 1, 2026).