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Community Water System · PWS MA4273000

Somerset Water Department

Somerset, Massachusetts 02726 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 18,303 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

18,303
People served
34
EPA violations
12
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 34 drinking-water violations at Somerset Water Department, 35% of them health-based - below the Massachusetts per-system average.

34
Total EPA violations on record
35%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
18,303
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Somerset Water Department

Somerset Water Department is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 18,303 residents in Somerset, Massachusetts (Bristol County) through 7,018 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 12 (35%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 12 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2021.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is TTHM, recorded in 12 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%).

Somerset Water Department'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
18,303
Total Violations
34
Health-Based Violations
12
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
7,018
County
Bristol
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
12
Monitoring Violations
12
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
TTHM MCL 12 2021
Arsenic MR 1 1995
Barium MR 1 1995
CYANIDE MR 1 1995
Fluoride MR 1 1995
Nickel MR 1 1995
Selenium MR 1 1995
Antimony, Total MR 1 1995
Chromium MR 1 1995
Beryllium, Total MR 1 1995
Cadmium MR 1 1995
Thallium, Total MR 1 1995
Mercury MR 1 1995

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

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

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFNA 9/15/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 9/15/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 9/15/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 9/15/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 9/15/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 9/15/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 9/15/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 9/15/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 9/15/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 9/15/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 9/15/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 9/15/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 9/15/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/15/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 9/15/2025 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/15/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 9/15/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 9/15/2025 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 9/15/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 9/15/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 9/15/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 9/15/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 9/15/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 9/15/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 9/15/2025 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/15/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 9/15/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/15/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/15/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 6/2/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 6/2/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 6/2/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 6/2/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 6/2/2025 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 6/2/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 6/2/2025 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 6/2/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 6/2/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 6/2/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 6/2/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 6/2/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 6/2/2025 <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 Somerset Water Department.

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 MA4273000 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 Somerset Water Department 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
2021 TTHM MCL 12 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 2950
1995 Arsenic MR 1 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 1005
1995 Barium MR 1 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 1010
1995 CYANIDE MR 1 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 1024
1995 Fluoride MR 1 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 1025
1995 Nickel MR 1 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 1036
1995 Selenium MR 1 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 1045
1995 Antimony, Total MR 1 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 1074
1995 Chromium MR 1 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 1020
1995 Beryllium, Total MR 1 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 1075
1995 Cadmium MR 1 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 1015
1995 Thallium, Total MR 1 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 1085
1995 Mercury MR 1 SDWIS / MA4273000 / 1035

How Somerset Water Department Compares

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

Metric Somerset Water Department Massachusetts avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 34 46.2 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 12 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 18,303 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 Somerset Water Department water safe to drink?
Somerset Water Department (PWS ID: MA4273000) has 34 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 18,303 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Somerset Water Department serve?
Somerset Water Department serves 18,303 people in Somerset, Massachusetts. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 7,018 service connections.
What type of violations does Somerset Water Department have?
Somerset Water Department has 34 total violations: 12 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 12 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Somerset Water Department water?
No. Somerset Water Department was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Somerset Water Department use?
Somerset Water Department 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.
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.