Photo: Teresa Fazio · CC BY-SA 3.0Living in Buffalo Gap, SD: what to set up and who to call
The Buffalo Gap water system reported 2 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: a disinfection byproducts requirement (Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule) ×2. 77% of systems its size reported none. For emergencies, Buffalo Gap is closest to Fall River Hospital - Cah, 9.6 miles away.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Buffalo Gap, 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 Buffalo Gap.
Power comes from Black Hills Energy
Black Hills Energy (Black Hills Power, Inc.), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Buffalo Gap. Its homes paid an average of 15.1¢ per kWh in 2025, about $106 a month (its average across South Dakota).
Start or move service: blackhillspower.com · (800) 742-8948
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Buffalo Gap water system
The Buffalo Gap water system supplies Buffalo Gap: about 50% of residents live in its service area. About 50% 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 126 people in all.
2 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a disinfection byproducts requirement (Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule) ×2, the latest beginning Jul 2025. 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–Dec 2024, was 2.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. That’s higher than 70% 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 (EPA’s estimate). Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. SD4600077.
2 home internet providers serve Buffalo Gap
100% of 110 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden West Telecommunications | Fiber | 100% | 1,000/1,000 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 60% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Buffalo Gap’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Buffalo Gap.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Buffalo Gap is in Hot Springs School District 23-2.
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 2023; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Buffalo Gap is in ZIP code 57722
ZIP codes where Buffalo Gap residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Buffalo Gap | ZIP’s residents in Buffalo Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 57722 | Buffalo Gap, SD | 100% | 32% |
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 Buffalo Gap
Who supplies Buffalo Gap’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The Buffalo Gap water system (EPA ID SD4600077). It reported 2 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a disinfection byproducts requirement (Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule) ×2. 77% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 2.0 ppb (Jan–Dec 2024), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Buffalo Gap?
Black Hills Energy (Black Hills Power, Inc.), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 15.1¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Buffalo Gap?
Golden West Telecommunications, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Buffalo Gap?
57722. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Buffalo Gap in?
Hot Springs School District 23-2.
How do I register to vote in Buffalo Gap?
South Dakota has no online registration; you can register in person until 15 days before Election Day or by mail (received 15 days before). Elections here are run by the Custer County Auditor. Check your registration at vip.sdsos.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 Aug 3, 2026 (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.