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By the boat ramp at Running Water, SDPhoto: National Park Service · Public domain
The Running Water handbook

Living in Running Water, SD: what to set up and who to call

Running Water has no town government of its own, so Bon Homme County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Bon Homme School District 04-2. The nearest emergency room is St. Michael's Hospital - Cah, 15.6 miles away.

Running Water has no town government. It’s a census-designated place in Bon Homme County, so the county and regional agencies provide most services. This page answers what we can; the same answers appear on Running Water’s town page under “Getting set up”.

I’m new in town

What to set up in Running Water, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Running Water.

Electricity

Power comes from NorthWestern Energy

NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern Energy - (SD)), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Running Water. Its homes paid an average of 13.3¢ per kWh in 2025, about $125 a month (its average across South Dakota).

Start or move service: northwesternenergy.com · (800) 245-6977

Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.

Drinking water · reported to EPA

Water comes from By Water District

By Water District supplies almost all of Running Water. It draws surface water and serves 13,320 people in all.

No health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026, like 83% of the 3,525 systems serving 10,001–50,000 people.

Lead, 90th percentile1.0 ppb
015 ppb action level20

The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan–Dec 2025, was 1.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. That’s lower than 59% 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. SD4600865.

Internet

3 home internet providers serve Running Water

100% of 66 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.

ProviderTechnologyAddressesFastest (Mbps)
Golden West TelecommunicationsFiber100%1,000/1,000
VerizonFixed wireless26%300/20
Viaero WirelessFixed wireless21%100/5

FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Running Water’s trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Running Water.

Trash, recycling and bulk pickupNot on fileRunning Water has no town government of its own, so look for trash and recycling rules on the county’s site.
Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Running Water kids go to
K–84 schoolsDepends on your address
9–12Bon Homme High School - 01in Tyndall

Running Water is in Bon Homme School District 04-2.

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.

Government & voting

No town hall: the county runs things

Running Water is unincorporated, so Bon Homme County is the local government.

Local governmentBon Homme CountyRunning Water is a census-designated place: no town hall of its ownCensus
Who runs elections hereBon Homme County AuditorElections here are run by Bon Homme County (county election office). PO Box 605, Tyndall, SD 57066-0605 · (605) 589-4212 · [email protected]FVAP, Jul 2023
Register to voteIn personSouth Dakota has no online registration; you can register in person until 15 days before Election Day or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govCheck your registration and polling placevip.sdsos.govThe state’s voter lookup

Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jul 2023; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.

ZIP codes & area codes

Running Water is in ZIP code 57062

ZIP codes where Running Water residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of Running WaterZIP’s residents in Running Water
57062Springfield, SD100%2%
Area code605Wikidata

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

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 Running Water

Who supplies Running Water’s drinking water, and has it had violations?

By Water District (EPA ID SD4600865). It reported no health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026; 83% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 1.0 ppb (Jan–Dec 2025), against a 15 ppb action level.

Who provides electricity in Running Water?

NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern Energy - (SD)), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 13.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).

What internet providers serve Running Water?

Golden West Telecommunications, Verizon, Viaero Wireless (FCC, as of December 2025).

What ZIP codes are in Running Water?

57062. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Running Water in?

Bon Homme School District 04-2.

How do I register to vote in Running Water?

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 Bon Homme 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.