States ›Nebraska ›Colfax County ›Howells

Howells, NE Tap Water Quality 2026

Water quality report for Howells, NE — PFAS, lead and copper results, violation history and state inspection findings from EPA SDWIS.

A look at Howells's drinking water using EPA enforcement records: violations, lead and copper results, PFAS sampling and state inspection findings.

Main Utility: Howells, Village Of PWSID: NE3103704 Updated: 2026 Q2
✅

No federal limits exceeded on record

Lead is 0.80 ppb, 5% of the action level and no violations are open. PFAS has never been sampled at this system.

C

Howells earns a C for water quality

Graded on violations and lead, with state inspection findings. PFAS not tested.

Lead: 0.80 ppb — 5% of the federal action level
PFAS never sampled at this system
5 violations since 2015, 4 health-based
No violations currently open
Howells's lead level vs. all Nebraska community water systems
0 ppb5 ppb10 ppb15 ppb
Lead level: 0.80 ppb — 5% of the federal action level
✓ Lower lead than 89% of Nebraska utilities
Population Served
561
~340 connections
Water Source
Groundwater
Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW
Active Violations
0
5 since 2015, all resolved

Lead & Copper Testing

Lead (Pb)
90th percentile of tap samples collected across the distribution system
5% of EPA action level
0.80 ppb
Action level: 15 ppb
Copper (Cu)
90th percentile of tap samples. SDWIS reports a copper figure only when a system exceeds the action level, so any value here is an exceedance.
121.5% of EPA action level
1,580 ppb
Action level: 1,300 ppb
The 90th-percentile lead result is 0.80 ppb, 5% of the 15 ppb federal action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and it is measured across sampled taps rather than at any single home. Copper reached the action level here; a copper figure appears in SDWIS only when a system triggers it.

Contaminant Violations (2015–Present)

ContaminantTypeMeasuredLimitPeriodStatus
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS REPORTING FAILURE — — 2024 Unaddressed
Nitrate-Nitrite MCL EXCEEDANCE 11 MG/L — 2022 Resolved
Coliform (TCR) MCL EXCEEDANCE — 5% of samples 2016 Resolved
Coliform (TCR) MCL EXCEEDANCE — 5% of samples 2015 Resolved
Coliform (TCR) MCL EXCEEDANCE — 5% of samples 2015 Resolved
Understanding violation types MCL violations mean a contaminant exceeded the federal maximum limit — the most serious type.
TT (Treatment Technique) violations mean required treatment procedures weren't followed, but don't necessarily mean contamination occurred.

Violation History

5 violations are on record since 2015, of which 4 were health-based. All have been resolved and none remain open.

About the Main Water System

Utility Howells, Village Of
PWSID NE3103704
Water source Groundwater — Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW
Population served 561
Service connections 340
Systems serving this area 1
Regulator State primacy agency
Data through 2026 Q2 — EPA SDWIS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Howells tap water safe to drink? ▼
No federal limit is exceeded on record. No violations are currently open. Lead is 0.80 ppb, 5% of the action level.
Does Howells water have PFAS? ▼
This system has never been sampled for PFAS. EPA's national monitoring covered systems serving 3,300 people or more, so no results exist — which is not evidence that none is present.
Who supplies water to Howells? ▼
Howells, Village Of (PWSID NE3103704). Groundwater. Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW
When was this system last inspected? ▼
It was last inspected on 2025-11-06. Inspectors recorded 1 significant deficiency.

What Should Howells Residents Do?

1
Read your annual water report
Your supplier publishes a Consumer Confidence Report each July covering the prior year.
2
Check for a lead service line
Lead reaches tap water mainly through service lines and household plumbing. Suppliers now publish an inventory identifying lead lines.
3
Flush before drinking
If water has sat in pipes more than six hours, run the cold tap for two minutes before drinking or cooking.

Nearby Cities in Nebraska

Schuyler, Ne Tap Water Quality 2026 Colfax Clarkson, Ne Tap Water Quality 2026 Colfax Leigh, Ne Tap Water Quality 2026 Colfax Rogers, Ne Tap Water Quality 2026 Colfax