PlainWater
States → Massachusetts

Community Water System · PWS MA2170000

Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra)

Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 41,799 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

41,799
People served
56
EPA violations
7
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 56 drinking-water violations at Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra), 13% of them health-based - above the Massachusetts per-system average.

56
Total EPA violations on record
13%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
41,799
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra)

Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 41,799 residents in Marlborough, Massachusetts (Middlesex County) through 10,920 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 56 total violations for this system , of which 7 (13%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 30 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2020.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Surface Water Treatment Rule, recorded in 16 violations (MR). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

Across Massachusetts, EPA tracks 1,599 public water systems serving 10,332,845 people, with 73,886 cumulative violations and 7,389 health-based violations on record. About 95% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 46.2 violations. Statewide, 148 of 263 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (56.3%).

Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra)'s 56 violations sit above the Massachusetts average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

Population Served
41,799
Total Violations
56
Health-Based Violations
7
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
10,920
County
Middlesex
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
7
Monitoring Violations
30
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 16 2006
Lead and Copper Rule MR 12 2020
Coliform (TCR) MCL 7 2004
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 1 2014
TTHM MR 1 2014

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
NFDHA 7/12/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 7/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 7/12/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 7/12/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/12/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 7/12/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 7/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 7/12/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/12/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 7/12/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 7/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 7/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 7/12/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/12/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 7/12/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 7/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 7/12/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 7/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 7/12/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/12/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 7/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 7/12/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/12/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/12/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 4/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 4/12/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 4/12/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 4/12/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 4/12/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 4/12/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 4/12/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 4/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 4/12/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 4/12/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 4/12/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 4/12/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 4/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 4/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 4/12/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 4/12/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 4/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 4/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 4/12/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 4/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 4/12/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra).

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID MA2170000 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Massachusetts Drinking Water Authority

MassDEP, Drinking Water Program is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) under EPA-delegated authority.

Open MA regulator portal

Source: MassDEP, Drinking Water Program

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2020 Lead and Copper Rule MR 12 SDWIS / MA2170000 / 5000
2014 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 1 SDWIS / MA2170000 / 2456
2014 TTHM MR 1 SDWIS / MA2170000 / 2950
2006 Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 16 SDWIS / MA2170000 / 0200
2004 Coliform (TCR) MCL 7 SDWIS / MA2170000 / 3100

How Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) Massachusetts avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 56 46.2 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 7 4.6 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 56.3% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 41,799 6,462 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 1,599 regulated public water systems in Massachusetts.

Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) water safe to drink? ▼
Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) (PWS ID: MA2170000) has 56 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 41,799 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) serve? ▼
Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) serves 41,799 people in Marlborough, Massachusetts. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 10,920 service connections.
What type of violations does Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) have? ▼
Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) has 56 total violations: 7 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 30 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) water? ▼
No. Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) use? ▼
Marlborough Dpw Water Div. (Mwra) uses Surface Water as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from? ▼
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.