Public water system · WI8550278
ActiveSheldon Water Utility
At a glance
Sheldon Water Utility (PWSID WI8550278) is an active community water system in Rusk County, Wisconsin. It reports serving 265 people through 98 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, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in June 2026.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
265
Service connections
98
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Sheldon Water Utility compare with other water systems in Rusk County?
By EPA's size categories, Sheldon Water Utility is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Rusk County has 86 active public water systems, and Sheldon Water Utility is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 197% above the county average of 89 people per system, and accounts for 3.5% of the 7,660 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 Sheldon 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 Sheldon Water Utility?
EPA lists Sheldon 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. 14 of the 86 active systems in Rusk County (16%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Sheldon Water Utility have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in June 2026. The violations listed here began between June 2024 and June 2026. By type: 4 monitoring and reporting, 3 required treatment not met, 3 monitoring, 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Revised Total Coliform Rule (5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-02 | Required treatment not metFailure To Address Deficiency · code 45 | Groundwater Rulecode 0700 | Yes | Unaddressed |
| 2025-09-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-07-02 | Required treatment not metFailure To Address Deficiency · code 45 | Groundwater Rulecode 0700 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2025-07-02 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-05-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-09-21 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique, Level 1 Assessment (RTCR) · code 2A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2024-09-21 | ReportingReporting, Assessment Forms (RTCR) · code 4A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-06-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | 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.
Sheldon Water Utility: frequently asked questions
Who runs Sheldon Water Utility?
Sheldon Water Utility (PWSID WI8550278) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the WI state drinking water program.
How many people does Sheldon Water Utility serve?
Sheldon Water Utility reports serving 265 people through 98 service connections in Rusk County, Wisconsin.
Where does Sheldon 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 Sheldon Water Utility have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in June 2026. 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 Sheldon 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. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in June 2026. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the WI state drinking water program.
Where can I find Sheldon Water Utility's water quality report?
As a community water system, Sheldon 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 Rusk County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladysmith Waterworks | Rusk | 3,184 | Community | Groundwater |
| Bruce Waterworks | Rusk | 620 | Community | Groundwater |
| Hawkins Waterworks | Rusk | 333 | Community | Groundwater |
| Weyerhaeuser Waterworks | Rusk | 238 | Community | Groundwater |
| Living Waters Assembly of God Church | Rusk | 150 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Little Jump School | Rusk | 120 | 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, “Sheldon Water Utility, PWSID WI8550278, Wisconsin”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/wisconsin/sheldon-water-utility-wi8550278 (data as of October 1, 2026).