SUNSET WATER ASSOCIATION
PWS ID: WA5386200 · Bellingham, Washington 98226
SUNSET WATER ASSOCIATION serves 174 people in Bellingham, Washington using Groundwater water sources. It has 67 recorded EPA violations, including 13 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.
Water Quality Snapshot: SUNSET WATER ASSOCIATION
SUNSET WATER ASSOCIATION is a private-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 174 residents in Bellingham, Washington (Whatcom County) through 99 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 67 total violations for this system , of which 13 (19%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 51 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2012.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Coliform (TCR), recorded in 13 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 Washington, EPA tracks 4,557 public water systems serving 9,736,844 people, with 314,648 cumulative violations and 20,590 health-based violations on record. About 92% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 69 violations. SUNSET WATER ASSOCIATION's 67 violations sit below the Washington average. Statewide, 98 of 247 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (39.7%). 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
- Private
- Connections
- 99
- County
- Whatcom
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 13
- Monitoring Violations
- 51
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 0
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coliform (TCR) | MCL | 13 | 2005 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 12 | 2005 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 10 | 1999 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 3 | 2012 |
| 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| DICHLOROMETHANE | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| o-Dichlorobenzene | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| Vinyl chloride | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| Carbon tetrachloride | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| CHLOROBENZENE | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| Benzene | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| Toluene | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| Ethylbenzene | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| Styrene | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| Fluoride | MR | 1 | 1979 |
| Nitrate | MR | 1 | 1979 |
| Mercury | MR | 1 | 1979 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U | MR | 1 | 1979 |
| Selenium | MR | 1 | 1979 |
| Cadmium | MR | 1 | 1979 |
| Chromium | MR | 1 | 1979 |
| Arsenic | MR | 1 | 1979 |
| p-Dichlorobenzene | MR | 1 | 2008 |
| Trichloroethylene | MR | 1 | 2008 |
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 SUNSET WATER ASSOCIATION.
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 WA5386200 on SDWISSource: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search
Washington Drinking Water Authority
Washington State Department of Health — Office of Drinking Water is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects SUNSET WATER ASSOCIATION under EPA-delegated authority.
Open WA regulator portalSource: Washington State 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 3 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 7000 |
| 2008 | 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2378 |
| 2008 | cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2380 |
| 2008 | DICHLOROMETHANE | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2964 |
| 2008 | o-Dichlorobenzene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2968 |
| 2008 | Vinyl chloride | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2976 |
| 2008 | 1,1-Dichloroethylene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2977 |
| 2008 | trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2979 |
| 2008 | Carbon tetrachloride | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2982 |
| 2008 | 1,2-Dichloropropane | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2983 |
| 2008 | 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2985 |
| 2008 | Tetrachloroethylene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2987 |
| 2008 | CHLOROBENZENE | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2989 |
| 2008 | Benzene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2990 |
| 2008 | Toluene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / WA5386200 / 2991 |
How SUNSET WATER ASSOCIATION Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | SUNSET WATER ASSOCIATION | Washington avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 67 | 69 | SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 13 | 4.5 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | None | 39.7% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 174 | 2,137 | Sizing context for compliance burden |
Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 4,557 regulated public water systems in Washington.
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
Is SUNSET WATER ASSOCIATION water safe to drink? ▼
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Related Data for Washington
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.