Edward and Ida Soncarty Barn · Photo: Jon Roanhaus · CC BY-SA 4.0Living in Onaway, ID: what to set up and who to call
The City of Potlatch water system reported one health-based violation to EPA in the last five years: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions), beginning Oct 2024. Most of Onaway has one wired internet choice: Ziply Fiber.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Onaway, 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 Onaway.
Power comes from Avista
Avista (Avista Corp.), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Onaway. Its homes paid an average of 11.8¢ per kWh in 2025, about $107 a month (its average across Idaho).
Start or move service: avistacorp.com · (509) 489-0500
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from City of Potlatch water system
The City of Potlatch water system supplies Onaway: about 91% of residents live in its service area. About 9% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It draws ground water and serves 812 people in all.
1 health-based violation reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions), beginning Oct 2024. 78% of the 5,327 systems serving 501–1,000 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2023–Dec 2025, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. The highest in five years was 1.0 ppb. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
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 (EPA’s estimate). Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. ID2290030.
5 home internet providers serve Onaway
89% of 93 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 89% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ziply Fiber | Fiber, Fixed wireless | 89% | 6,000/6,000 |
| Airbridge Broadband | Fixed wireless | 100% | 300/300 |
| First Step Internet | Fixed wireless | 88% | 25/4 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 74% | 25/6 |
| Inland Cellular | Fixed wireless | 53% | 50/5 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Onaway’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Onaway.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Onaway is in Potlatch School District 285.
Test scores and every school: see 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 Jul 2026; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Onaway is in ZIP code 83855
ZIP codes where Onaway residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Onaway | ZIP’s residents in Onaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| 83855 | Potlatch, ID | 100% | 9% |
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 Onaway
Who supplies Onaway’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The City of Potlatch water system (EPA ID ID2290030). It reported 1 health-based violation to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions). 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2023–Dec 2025), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Onaway?
Avista (Avista Corp.), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 11.8¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Onaway?
Ziply Fiber, Airbridge Broadband, First Step Internet, Verizon, Inland Cellular (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Onaway?
83855. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Onaway in?
Potlatch School District 285.
How do I register to vote in Onaway?
In Idaho you can register online until 11 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 11 days before). Elections here are run by the Latah County Clerk. Check your registration at elections.sos.idaho.gov.
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 Sep 12, 2025 (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.