AMHERST, TOWN OF
PWS ID: VA5009050 · AMHERST, Virginia 24521
AMHERST, TOWN OF serves 2,231 people in AMHERST, Virginia using Surface Water water sources. It has 161 recorded EPA violations, including 31 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.
Water Quality Snapshot: AMHERST, TOWN OF
AMHERST, TOWN OF is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 2,231 residents in AMHERST, Virginia (Amherst County) through 1,170 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 161 total violations for this system , of which 31 (19%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 130 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 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), recorded in 27 violations (MCL, health-based). This system has not yet been sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, so no PFAS detection data is available here.
Across Virginia, EPA tracks 2,821 public water systems serving 7,911,199 people, with 146,670 cumulative violations and 25,642 health-based violations on record. About 90% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 52 violations. AMHERST, TOWN OF's 161 violations sit above the Virginia average. Statewide, 70 of 171 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (40.9%). All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.
System Details
- System Type
- Community
- Owner Type
- Local
- Connections
- 1,170
- County
- Amherst
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 31
- Monitoring Violations
- 130
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 0
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MCL | 27 | 2018 |
| Chlorine | MR | 7 | 2024 |
| Arsenic | MR | 4 | 2018 |
| Barium | MR | 4 | 2018 |
| Chromium | MR | 4 | 2018 |
| Fluoride | MR | 4 | 2018 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 4 | 2023 |
| Cadmium | MR | 4 | 2018 |
| Mercury | MR | 4 | 2018 |
| Selenium | MR | 4 | 2018 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 4 | 2018 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MCL | 4 | 2015 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| Xylenes, Total | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| DICHLOROMETHANE | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| Trichloroethylene | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| CHLOROBENZENE | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| Benzene | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| Toluene | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| Ethylbenzene | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| Styrene | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| Nickel | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| Antimony, Total | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| Vinyl chloride | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene | MR | 3 | 2018 |
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 AMHERST, TOWN OF.
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 VA5009050 on SDWISSource: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search
Virginia Drinking Water Authority
Virginia Department of Health — Office of Drinking Water is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects AMHERST, TOWN OF under EPA-delegated authority.
Open VA regulator portalSource: Virginia Department of Health — Office of Drinking Water
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 | Chlorine | MR | 7 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 0999 |
| 2023 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 4 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 8000 |
| 2018 | Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MCL | 27 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 2456 |
| 2018 | Arsenic | MR | 4 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 1005 |
| 2018 | Barium | MR | 4 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 1010 |
| 2018 | Chromium | MR | 4 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 1020 |
| 2018 | Fluoride | MR | 4 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 1025 |
| 2018 | Cadmium | MR | 4 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 1015 |
| 2018 | Mercury | MR | 4 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 1035 |
| 2018 | Selenium | MR | 4 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 1045 |
| 2018 | Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 4 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 5000 |
| 2018 | Nitrate-Nitrite | MR | 3 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 1038 |
| 2018 | cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | MR | 3 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 2380 |
| 2018 | Xylenes, Total | MR | 3 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 2955 |
| 2018 | DICHLOROMETHANE | MR | 3 | SDWIS / VA5009050 / 2964 |
How AMHERST, TOWN OF Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | AMHERST, TOWN OF | Virginia avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 161 | 52 | SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 31 | 9.1 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | None | 40.9% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 2,231 | 2,804 | Sizing context for compliance burden |
Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 2,821 regulated public water systems in Virginia.
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 |
| Nitrate (as N) | 10 mg/L | Acute health risk for infants |
Frequently Asked Questions
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Related Data for Virginia
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.