PlainWater

Community Water System · PWS PR0004084

Ensenada

Guanica, Puerto Rico 00653 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 6,122 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

6,122
People served
91
EPA violations
4
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 91 drinking-water violations at Ensenada, 4% of them health-based - below the Puerto Rico per-system average.

91
Total EPA violations on record
4%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
6,122
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Ensenada

Ensenada is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 6,122 residents in Guanica, Puerto Rico (Guanica Municipio County) through 2,293 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 91 total violations for this system , of which 4 (4%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 70 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2024.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Nitrate, recorded in 7 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 Puerto Rico, EPA tracks 458 public water systems serving 3,328,141 people, with 164,144 cumulative violations and 34,657 health-based violations on record. About 100% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 358.4 violations. Statewide, 40 of 99 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (40.4%).

Ensenada's 91 violations sit below the Puerto Rico 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
6,122
Total Violations
91
Health-Based Violations
4
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
2,293
County
Guanica Municipio
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
4
Monitoring Violations
70
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Nitrate MR 7 2024
Coliform (TCR) MR 6 1998
Lead and Copper Rule MR 6 2013
Coliform (TCR) MCL 4 2011
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 4 2020
TTHM MR 3 2014
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 3 2014
LASSO MR 2 2010
Arsenic MR 2 2022
Barium MR 2 2022
Cadmium MR 2 2022
CYANIDE MR 2 2022
Mercury MR 2 2022
Antimony, Total MR 2 2022
Beryllium, Total MR 2 2022
Chromium MR 2 2022
Thallium, Total MR 2 2022
Selenium MR 2 2022
Combined Radium (-226 and -228) MR 1 1980
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 1 1997
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 1 1997
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 1 1997
Toluene MR 1 1997
1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 1 1997
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U MR 1 1980
o-Dichlorobenzene MR 1 1997
CHLOROBENZENE MR 1 1997
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 1 1997
Tetrachloroethylene MR 1 1997
1,2-Dichloropropane MR 1 1997

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 58 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFPeS 6/18/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 6/18/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 6/18/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 6/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 6/18/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 6/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 6/18/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 6/18/2025 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 6/18/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 6/18/2025 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 6/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 6/18/2025 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 6/18/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 6/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 6/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 6/18/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 6/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 6/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 6/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 6/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 6/18/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 6/18/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 6/18/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 6/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 6/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 6/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 6/18/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 6/18/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 6/18/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 6/17/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 6/17/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 6/17/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 6/17/2025 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 6/17/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 6/17/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 6/17/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 6/17/2025 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 6/17/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 6/17/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 6/17/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 6/17/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 6/17/2025 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 6/17/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 6/17/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 6/17/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 6/17/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 6/17/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 6/17/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 6/17/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 6/17/2025 <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 Ensenada.

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 PR0004084 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Puerto Rico Drinking Water Authority

Puerto Rico'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 PR 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
2024 Nitrate MR 7 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 1040
2022 Arsenic MR 2 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 1005
2022 Barium MR 2 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 1010
2022 Cadmium MR 2 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 1015
2022 CYANIDE MR 2 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 1024
2022 Mercury MR 2 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 1035
2022 Antimony, Total MR 2 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 1074
2022 Beryllium, Total MR 2 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 1075
2022 Chromium MR 2 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 1020
2022 Thallium, Total MR 2 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 1085
2022 Selenium MR 2 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 1045
2020 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 4 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 7000
2014 TTHM MR 3 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 2950
2014 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 3 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 2456
2013 Lead and Copper Rule MR 6 SDWIS / PR0004084 / 5000

How Ensenada Compares

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

Metric Ensenada Puerto Rico avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 91 358.4 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 4 75.7 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 40.4% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 6,122 7,267 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 458 regulated public water systems in Puerto Rico.

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 Ensenada water safe to drink?
Ensenada (PWS ID: PR0004084) has 91 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 6,122 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does Ensenada serve?
Ensenada serves 6,122 people in Guanica, Puerto Rico. It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 2,293 service connections.
What type of violations does Ensenada have?
Ensenada has 91 total violations: 4 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 70 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Ensenada water?
No. Ensenada was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Ensenada use?
Ensenada uses Groundwater 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.