Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0Living in Essex, MO: what to set up and who to call
Essex PWS reported 2 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule), a disinfection byproducts requirement (Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule). 77% of systems its size reported none. Sparklight is the only wired internet provider that reaches most of Essex.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Essex, 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 Essex.
Power comes from Union Electric
Union Electric (Union Electric Co - (MO)), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Essex. Its homes paid an average of 13.3¢ per kWh in 2025, about $137 a month (its average across Missouri).
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Essex PWS
Essex PWS supplies almost all of Essex. It draws ground water (EPA lists Stoddard County Pwsd 3 as seller) and serves 399 people in all.
2 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule), a disinfection byproducts requirement (Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule), the latest beginning Nov 2023. 77% of the 15,074 systems serving 101–500 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. 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. MO4010255.
4 home internet providers serve Essex
100% of 217 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 0% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sparklight | Cable | 100% | 1,000/50 |
| AT&T | DSL | 15% | 10/1 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 59% | 25/6 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 28% | 25/3 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Essex’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Essex.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Essex is in Richland R-I School District.
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 Aug 2019; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Essex is in ZIP code 63846
ZIP codes where Essex residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Essex | ZIP’s residents in Essex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63846 | Essex, MO | 100% | 33% |
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 Essex
Who supplies Essex’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Essex PWS (EPA ID MO4010255). It reported 2 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule), a disinfection byproducts requirement (Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule). 77% 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 Essex?
Union Electric (Union Electric Co - (MO)), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 13.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Essex?
Sparklight, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Essex?
63846. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Essex in?
Richland R-I School District.
How do I register to vote in Essex?
In Missouri you can register online until 27 days before Election Day, in person until 27 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 27 days before). Elections here are run by the Stoddard. Check your registration at voteroutreach.sos.mo.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 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.