Public water system · WI8020378
ActiveMellen Water Utility
At a glance
Mellen Water Utility (PWSID WI8020378) is an active community water system in Ashland County, Wisconsin. It reports serving 731 people through 397 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2022.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
731
Service connections
397
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Mellen Water Utility compare with other water systems in Ashland County?
By EPA's size categories, Mellen Water Utility is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Ashland County has 82 active public water systems, and Mellen Water Utility is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 4.8 times the county average of 151 people per system, and accounts for 5.9% of the 12,416 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Wisconsin, the 11,056 active systems average 469 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Mellen Water Utility 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. Wisconsin has 1,053 active community water systems, 9.5% of the state's 11,056 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 10,978 Wisconsin systems (99%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Mellen Water Utility?
EPA lists Mellen Water Utility as owned by a local government. The WI state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 20 of the 82 active systems in Ashland County (24%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Mellen Water Utility have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2022. The violations listed here began between November 1993 and January 2022. By type: 3 monitoring and reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (2 of them). EPA lists 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1993-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
All 4 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.
Mellen Water Utility: frequently asked questions
Who runs Mellen Water Utility?
Mellen Water Utility (PWSID WI8020378) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the WI state drinking water program.
How many people does Mellen Water Utility serve?
Mellen Water Utility reports serving 731 people through 397 service connections in Ashland County, Wisconsin.
Where does Mellen Water Utility 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 Mellen Water Utility have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 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 Mellen Water Utility'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 4 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2022. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the WI state drinking water program.
Where can I find Mellen Water Utility's water quality report?
As a community water system, Mellen Water Utility 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 Ashland County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland Water Utility | Ashland | 8,000 | Community | Surface water |
| Glidden Sanitary District | Ashland | 750 | Community | Groundwater |
| Butternut Waterworks | Ashland | 283 | Community | Groundwater |
| Marengo Valley School | Ashland | 220 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Hartzell Subdivision - Abbey Lane | Ashland | 115 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Beach Club | Ashland | 100 | 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, “Mellen Water Utility, PWSID WI8020378, Wisconsin”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/wisconsin/mellen-water-utility-wi8020378 (data as of October 1, 2026).