Public water system · WI6060232
ActiveNelson Water & Sewer Dept
At a glance
Nelson Water & Sewer Dept (PWSID WI6060232) is an active community water system in Buffalo County, Wisconsin. It reports serving 375 people through 156 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, one is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2009.
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
375
Service connections
156
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Nelson Water & Sewer Dept compare with other water systems in Buffalo County?
By EPA's size categories, Nelson Water & Sewer Dept is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Buffalo County has 69 active public water systems, and Nelson Water & Sewer Dept is the 6th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 196% above the county average of 127 people per system, and accounts for 4.3% of the 8,759 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 Nelson Water & Sewer Dept 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 Nelson Water & Sewer Dept?
EPA lists Nelson Water & Sewer Dept 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. 17 of the 69 active systems in Buffalo County (25%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Nelson Water & Sewer Dept have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2009. The violations listed here began between October 1999 and July 2009. By type: 7 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 4 monitoring and reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Consumer Confidence Rule (6 of them). EPA lists 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Radium-228code 4030 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228)code 4010 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-07-02 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2004-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-10-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2001-10-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2000-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2000-01-19 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 1999-10-19 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | 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.
Nelson Water & Sewer Dept: frequently asked questions
Who runs Nelson Water & Sewer Dept?
Nelson Water & Sewer Dept (PWSID WI6060232) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the WI state drinking water program.
How many people does Nelson Water & Sewer Dept serve?
Nelson Water & Sewer Dept reports serving 375 people through 156 service connections in Buffalo County, Wisconsin.
Where does Nelson Water & Sewer Dept 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 Nelson Water & Sewer Dept have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2009. 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 Nelson Water & Sewer Dept'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, one is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2009. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the WI state drinking water program.
Where can I find Nelson Water & Sewer Dept's water quality report?
As a community water system, Nelson Water & Sewer Dept 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 Buffalo County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mondovi Waterworks | Buffalo | 2,667 | Community | Groundwater |
| Alma Waterworks | Buffalo | 769 | Community | Groundwater |
| Cochrane Fountain City School | Buffalo | 635 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Cochrane Waterworks | Buffalo | 450 | Community | Groundwater |
| Fountain City Waterworks | Buffalo | 443 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lyster Lutheran Church | Buffalo | 370 | 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, “Nelson Water & Sewer Dept, PWSID WI6060232, Wisconsin”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/wisconsin/nelson-water-sewer-dept-wi6060232 (data as of October 1, 2026).