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Community Water System · PWS MA3057000

Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra)

Chelsea, Massachusetts 02150 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 38,319 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

38,319
People served
34
EPA violations
30
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 34 drinking-water violations at Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra), 88% of them health-based - below the Massachusetts per-system average.

34
Total EPA violations on record
88%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
38,319
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra)

Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra) is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 38,319 residents in Chelsea, Massachusetts (Suffolk County) through 5,100 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 34 total violations for this system , of which 30 (88%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 2 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2016.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Coliform (TCR), recorded in 15 violations (MCL, health-based). 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%).

Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra)'s 34 violations sit below 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
38,319
Total Violations
34
Health-Based Violations
30
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
5,100
County
Suffolk
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
15
Monitoring Violations
2
Treatment Tech Violations
15

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Coliform (TCR) MCL 15 1996
Lead and Copper Rule TT 14 2010
Lead and Copper Rule MR 2 2016
Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 1 1992

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

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

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
NMeFOSAA 7/10/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 7/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/10/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 7/10/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 7/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 7/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 7/10/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 7/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 7/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 7/10/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 7/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 7/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 7/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 7/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 7/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 7/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 7/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 7/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 7/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/10/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 4/11/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 4/11/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 4/11/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 4/11/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 4/11/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 4/11/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 4/11/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 4/11/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 4/11/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 4/11/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 4/11/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 4/11/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 4/11/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 4/11/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 4/11/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 4/11/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 4/11/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 4/11/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 4/11/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 4/11/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 4/11/2023 <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 Chelsea Water Dept. (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 MA3057000 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 Chelsea Water Dept. (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
2016 Lead and Copper Rule MR 2 SDWIS / MA3057000 / 5000
2010 Lead and Copper Rule TT 14 SDWIS / MA3057000 / 5000
1996 Coliform (TCR) MCL 15 SDWIS / MA3057000 / 3100
1992 Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 1 SDWIS / MA3057000 / 0200

How Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra) Compares

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

Metric Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra) Massachusetts avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 34 46.2 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 30 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 38,319 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 Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra) water safe to drink? ▼
Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra) (PWS ID: MA3057000) has 34 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 38,319 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra) serve? ▼
Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra) serves 38,319 people in Chelsea, Massachusetts. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 5,100 service connections.
What type of violations does Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra) have? ▼
Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra) has 34 total violations: 30 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 2 monitoring/reporting violations, and 15 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra) water? ▼
No. Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra) was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Chelsea Water Dept. (Mwra) use? ▼
Chelsea Water Dept. (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.