Community Water System · PWS MA3023000
Bedford Water Dept.
Operator location Bedford, Massachusetts - larger served population (> 3,309) at 14,394 people served; 137 SDWIS violations on record from surface water sources.
- 14,394
- People served (this PWS) Larger third of systems
- 137
- EPA violations (this PWS) Upper third of systems
- 26
- Health-based (this PWS) Middle third by health-based share
- No PFAS
- UCMR5 (this PWS) Tested, none detected
Bedford Water Dept. standing, high SDWIS violation third
14,394 people served (SDWIS) - larger served population (> 3,309). Corpus terciles use 29,740 systems serving 500+ (the sitemap cohort). Health-based share 19% is middle-third health share (≤ 23%). UCMR5: UCMR5 tested, none detected. Population rank #3,588 of 29,740 among systems serving 500+.
The verdict
Bedford Water Dept. sits in the upper third of the sitemap cohort by violation count (137), so the tables below sample a dense compliance trail rather than a near-clean ledger. Population served is large (14,394; larger served population (> 3,309)), so household exposure scale sits behind the violation mix. Health-based share is 19% (middle-third health share (≤ 23%)). UCMR5 tested this system and reported no PFAS above the minimum reporting level.
- #3,588 of 29,740
- Population · /systems
- #151 of 418
- Population · MA
- 137
- Total EPA violations on record
- 19%
- Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
Population ordinals match the sitemap cohort (systems serving 500+, population_served DESC). See methodology · corpus placement.
Based on EPA SDWIS violation history and UCMR5 PFAS testing only, not water taste, odor, infrastructure age, or contaminants outside the federally tracked set.
System Details
- System Type
- Community
- Owner Type
- Local
- Connections
- 4,805
- County
- Middlesex
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 26
- Monitoring Violations
- 101
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 0
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coliform (TCR) | MCL | 26 | 2015 |
| TTHM | MR | 5 | 2011 |
| Carbon tetrachloride | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| Trichloroethylene | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| CHLOROBENZENE | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| o-Dichlorobenzene | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| Toluene | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| Xylenes, Total | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| Styrene | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| p-Dichlorobenzene | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| DICHLOROMETHANE | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| Benzene | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| Vinyl chloride | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| Ethylbenzene | MR | 4 | 2011 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 3 | 2008 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 2 | 1999 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U | MR | 2 | 2014 |
| Coliform (TCR) | Other | 1 | 2012 |
| Nitrate | MR | 1 | 2017 |
Violation Count vs. the National Corpus
Bedford Water Dept. has 137 recorded EPA violations, 79% of the 29,740 public water systems serving 500+ people nationwide carry fewer, and 20% carry more. 19% of this system's own violations are health-based (26 of 137), and it ranks #3,588 of 29,740 by population served among that same cohort.
EPA violations vs. the national water-system corpus
Public water systems serving 500+ people (EPA SDWIS)
137 Higher than most more violations than 79% of 29,740 water systems
the national water-system corpus, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more water systems. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source EPA SDWIS · 2026-05-15
How many violations vs. how serious, among peer systems
Bedford Water Dept. plotted against 29 peer public water systems (500+ people served), by total violation count (x) and the share of those violations that are health-based (y). The crosshair sits at this sample's own median on each axis. A high violation count does not automatically mean a serious record: most monitoring and reporting violations are minor, not health-based.
Violation volume vs. health-based share
PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)
Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 116 samples detected PFAS.
| Contaminant | Date | Result | MRL | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6:2 FTS | 7/9/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFNA | 7/9/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeS | 7/9/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NFDHA | 7/9/2024 | <20.00 ppt | 20.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFEESA | 7/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMBA | 7/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOS | 7/9/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 4:2 FTS | 7/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeA | 7/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBA | 7/9/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NMeFOSAA | 7/9/2024 | <6.00 ppt | 6.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NEtFOSAA | 7/9/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTrDA | 7/9/2024 | <7.00 ppt | 7.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBS | 7/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMPA | 7/9/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpS | 7/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 8:2 FTS | 7/9/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTA | 7/9/2024 | <8.00 ppt | 8.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOA | 7/9/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxS | 7/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpA | 7/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| HFPO-DA | 7/9/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 9Cl-PF3ONS | 7/9/2024 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 11Cl-PF3OUdS | 7/9/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFUnA | 7/9/2024 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxA | 7/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDoA | 7/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| ADONA | 7/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDA | 7/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOA | 4/2/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxS | 4/2/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFNA | 4/2/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpS | 4/2/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOS | 4/2/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpA | 4/2/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDA | 4/2/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDoA | 4/2/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFUnA | 4/2/2024 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 6:2 FTS | 4/2/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 11Cl-PF3OUdS | 4/2/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 9Cl-PF3ONS | 4/2/2024 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| ADONA | 4/2/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxA | 4/2/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NFDHA | 4/2/2024 | <20.00 ppt | 20.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFEESA | 4/2/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMBA | 4/2/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeA | 4/2/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMPA | 4/2/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 4:2 FTS | 4/2/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBS | 4/2/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
Population served record for Bedford Water Dept.
EPA SDWIS lists 14,394 people served and 4,805 connections for this PWS, confirm the service-area footprint on the federal report before comparing to municipal census totals.
Sources: EPA SDWIS · MassDEP, Drinking Water Program
Nationwide peers
137 violations · 14,394 served: nearest cross-state SDWIS matches.
Cross-state systems with comparable violation load
Nearest cross-state community systems (500+ served) by total SDWIS violations on record.
Cross-state systems with similar served population
Nearest cross-state systems by EPA SDWIS population_served (same 500+ sitemap gate).
What to do with Bedford Water Dept.
Use this system's EPA-reported record as a starting filter, not a final verdict.
- See how every tracked system in Massachusetts compares on the same EPA violation measures. Massachusetts systems
- Check whether PFAS was detected at this system under UCMR5 testing. PFAS guide
- Find and compare another public water system by name or PWSID. Search systems
EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 figures are informational only, not a substitute for a certified lab test of your own tap water.
Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.