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Community Water System · PWS MD0010016

Lavale Sanitary Commission

Lavale, Maryland 21502-3325 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 5,500 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

5,500
People served
54
EPA violations
15
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 54 drinking-water violations at Lavale Sanitary Commission, 28% of them health-based - above the Maryland per-system average.

54
Total EPA violations on record
28%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
5,500
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Lavale Sanitary Commission

Lavale Sanitary Commission is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 5,500 residents in Lavale, Maryland (Allegany County) through 2,515 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 54 total violations for this system , of which 15 (28%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 33 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2019.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Lead and Copper Rule, recorded in 20 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 Maryland, EPA tracks 3,215 public water systems serving 6,070,211 people, with 60,496 cumulative violations and 18,132 health-based violations on record. About 80% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 18.8 violations. Statewide, 50 of 83 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (60.2%).

Lavale Sanitary Commission's 54 violations sit above the Maryland 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
5,500
Total Violations
54
Health-Based Violations
15
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
2,515
County
Allegany
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
0
Monitoring Violations
33
Treatment Tech Violations
15

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Lead and Copper Rule MR 20 2019
Lead and Copper Rule TT 11 2005
Coliform (TCR) MR 6 2005
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 5 2010
Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 4 1998
Fluoride MR 4 2017
Nitrate MR 3 2017

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 232 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
NFDHA 7/15/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/15/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 7/15/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 7/15/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 7/15/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/15/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 7/15/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/15/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 7/15/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 7/15/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 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 Lavale Sanitary Commission.

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 MD0010016 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Maryland Drinking Water Authority

Maryland's primacy agency administers the Safe Drinking Water Act locally. Search EPA SDWIS for the current state contact, or use the state's public health or environment department portal.

Find MD regulator via EPA SDWIS

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
2019 Lead and Copper Rule MR 20 SDWIS / MD0010016 / 5000
2017 Fluoride MR 4 SDWIS / MD0010016 / 1025
2017 Nitrate MR 3 SDWIS / MD0010016 / 1040
2010 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 5 SDWIS / MD0010016 / 7000
2005 Lead and Copper Rule TT 11 SDWIS / MD0010016 / 5000
2005 Coliform (TCR) MR 6 SDWIS / MD0010016 / 3100
1998 Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 4 SDWIS / MD0010016 / 0200

How Lavale Sanitary Commission Compares

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

Metric Lavale Sanitary Commission Maryland avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 54 18.8 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 15 5.6 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 60.2% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 5,500 1,888 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 3,215 regulated public water systems in Maryland.

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 Lavale Sanitary Commission water safe to drink?
Lavale Sanitary Commission (PWS ID: MD0010016) has 54 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 5,500 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Lavale Sanitary Commission serve?
Lavale Sanitary Commission serves 5,500 people in Lavale, Maryland. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 2,515 service connections.
What type of violations does Lavale Sanitary Commission have?
Lavale Sanitary Commission has 54 total violations: 15 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 33 monitoring/reporting violations, and 15 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Lavale Sanitary Commission water?
No. Lavale Sanitary Commission was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Lavale Sanitary Commission use?
Lavale Sanitary Commission 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.