Photo: Cobun Keegan · CC BY-SA 3.0Living in Paonia, CO: what to set up and who to call
The Town of Paonia water system reported 3 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: a surface water treatment requirement (Surface Water Treatment Rule) ×2, a surface water treatment requirement (Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule). 78% of systems its size reported none. Power in Paonia comes from Delta Montrose Electric Assn, a cooperative utility rather than a private company.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Paonia, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Paonia.
Power comes from Delta Montrose Electric Assn
Delta Montrose Electric Assn (Delta Montrose Electric Assn), a cooperative utility, serves all of Paonia. Its homes paid an average of 14.9¢ per kWh in 2025, about $107 a month (its average across Colorado).
Start or move service: dmea.com · (877) 687-3632
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Town of Paonia water system
The Town of Paonia water system supplies Paonia: about 63% of residents live in its service area. About 37% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It draws ground water influenced by surface water and serves 2,499 people in all.
3 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a surface water treatment requirement (Surface Water Treatment Rule) ×2, a surface water treatment requirement (Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule), the latest beginning May 2023. 78% of the 7,966 systems serving 1,001–3,300 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan–Jun 2026, was 1.2 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. The highest in five years was 3.1 ppb. That’s higher than 56% of similar systems’ latest results.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. CO0115601.
6 home internet providers serve Paonia
100% of 780 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta County Tele-Comm | DSL, Fiber | 100% | 6,000/6,000 |
| Elevate Internet | Fiber | 100% | 6,000/6,000 |
| Spectrum | Cable | 98% | 1,000/35 |
| Rise Broadband | Fixed wireless | 97% | 50/10 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 92% | 300/20 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 76% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Paonia’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Paonia.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Paonia is in Delta County School District 50J.
BSchool gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Sep 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Paonia is in ZIP code 81428
ZIP codes where Paonia residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Paonia | ZIP’s residents in Paonia |
|---|---|---|---|
| 81428 | Paonia, CO | 100% | 40% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Paonia
Who supplies Paonia’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The Town of Paonia water system (EPA ID CO0115601). It reported 3 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a surface water treatment requirement (Surface Water Treatment Rule) ×2, a surface water treatment requirement (Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule). 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 1.2 ppb (Jan–Jun 2026), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Paonia?
Delta Montrose Electric Assn (Delta Montrose Electric Assn), a cooperative utility. Its homes paid about 14.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Paonia?
Delta County Tele-Comm, Elevate Internet, Spectrum, Rise Broadband, Verizon, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Paonia?
81428. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Paonia in?
Delta County School District 50J.
How do I register to vote in Paonia?
In Colorado you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 8 days before). Elections here are run by the Delta County Clerk and Recorder. Check your registration at sos.state.co.us.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.