Fairburn Water Association
Community water system in Fairburn, Custer County, South Dakota, serving 65 people from ground water purchased. 3 rules violated in the past three years, 1 still unresolved. Owned by local government.
Quarterly compliance history
2023
2024
2024
2024
2024
2025
2025
2025
2025
2026
2026
2026
2026
Still in violation
EPA data updated Oct 7, 2026
Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR)
The 2013 RTCR (effective 2016) replaced the original TCR.
Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR)
The 2013 RTCR (effective 2016) replaced the original TCR.
What it means: The 2013 RTCR (effective 2016) replaced the original TCR. It triggers automatic E. coli testing whenever total coliform is found. A single E. coli-positive sample is an acute MCL violation. It also requires systems exceeding 5% total coliform-positive samples to conduct a formal assessment and correct any deficiencies, helping prevent contamination before it escalates.
Health effects: Total coliform bacteria indicate that the disinfection barrier has been breached or fecal contamination is entering the system. E. coli specifically indicates fecal contamination and the possible presence of disease-causing pathogens (norovirus, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter). Illness can be severe in elderly, young children, and immunocompromised individuals.
Limit: Zero E. coli; ≤5% of monthly samples total coliform-positive
About this contaminant
Stage 1 Disinfectants and DBP Rule
The 1998 Stage 1 Rule was the first comprehensive federal standard for disinfection byproducts.
Stage 1 Disinfectants and DBP Rule
The 1998 Stage 1 Rule was the first comprehensive federal standard for disinfection byproducts.
What it means: The 1998 Stage 1 Rule was the first comprehensive federal standard for disinfection byproducts. It set MCLs for TTHM and HAA5, added limits for bromate (formed during ozonation) and chlorite (formed during chlorine dioxide treatment), and established maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) for chlorine, chloramines, and chlorine dioxide. It applies to all community and non-transient non-community water systems that disinfect.
Health effects: See TTHMs (2950) and HAA5 (2456) for their specific health effects. Bromate is a probable human carcinogen (Group B2). Chlorite at elevated levels can cause hemolytic anemia, particularly in infants, developing fetuses, and individuals with certain enzyme deficiencies. Violations indicate the system exceeded one or more of these byproduct or disinfectant limits.
Limit: TTHM: 0.080 mg/L; HAA5: 0.060 mg/L; Bromate: 0.010 mg/L; Chlorite: 1.0 mg/L
About this contaminantAlso violated in the past three years
Oct to Dec 2023 to Oct to Dec 2026
Chlorine (MRDL)
This entry tracks violations of the Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) for chlorine — meaning too much disinfectant residual in the distribution…
Chlorine (MRDL)
This entry tracks violations of the Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) for chlorine — meaning too much disinfectant residual in the distribution…
What it means: This entry tracks violations of the Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) for chlorine — meaning too much disinfectant residual in the distribution system, not too little. Chlorine is added to water to kill pathogens, but excess residual can react with organic matter to form disinfection byproducts.
Health effects: Acute high-dose exposure to chlorinated water can cause eye and nose irritation, stomach discomfort, and nausea. Chronic exposure above the MRDL is primarily a concern because elevated chlorine accelerates formation of trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids, which are associated with increased cancer risk over time.
Limit: MRDL: 4.0 mg/L as an annual average
About this ruleAbout this data
EPA counts the rules a system was in violation of, not the individual violations; one rule can carry several in the same period. Unresolved means still in violation at EPA's latest data refresh. Measured contaminant levels are not part of this record; each system publishes them in its annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Service area from EPA's Public Water System Service Area Boundaries dataset: Random Forest method, Federal agency. The system's location is the centre of the service area EPA publishes for the system.
Source: the U.S. EPA's Enforcement and Compliance History Online system (ECHO), which publishes the federal Safe Drinking Water Information System. EPA's terms and values are shown as published. The South Dakota records are from EPA's data refresh of Oct 7, 2026; EPA refreshes this data quarterly, and states report to EPA with a lag of three to six months, so the newest violations may not appear yet. Retrieved from ECHO on Oct 11, 2026.