Public water system · CT0170011
ActiveBristol Water Department
At a glance
Bristol Water Department (PWSID CT0170011) is an active community water system in Hartford County, Connecticut. It reports serving 52,079 people through 16,322 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
52,079
Service connections
16,322
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Bristol Water Department compare with other water systems in Hartford County?
By EPA's size categories, Bristol Water Department is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Hartford County has 219 active public water systems, and Bristol Water Department is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 14 times the county average of 3,818 people per system, and accounts for 6.2% of the 836,032 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Connecticut, the 2,363 active systems average 1,247 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Bristol Water Department is about 7.8 times that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Connecticut has 481 active community water systems, 20% of the state's 2,363 active systems. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 38 Connecticut systems (1.6%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Bristol Water Department?
EPA lists Bristol Water Department as owned by a local government. The CT state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 30 of the 219 active systems in Hartford County (14%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Bristol Water Department have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2025. The violations listed here began between January 2019 and August 2025. By type: 10 monitoring and reporting and 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Consumer Confidence Rule (2 of them). EPA lists 12 as resolved. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-10 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Seleniumcode 1045 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nickelcode 1036 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Antimonycode 1074 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Arseniccode 1005 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Bariumcode 1010 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Chromiumcode 1020 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Fluoridecode 1025 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Cadmiumcode 1015 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Berylliumcode 1075 | No | Resolved |
The 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Bristol Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Bristol Water Department?
Bristol Water Department (PWSID CT0170011) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the CT state drinking water program.
How many people does Bristol Water Department serve?
Bristol Water Department reports serving 52,079 people through 16,322 service connections in Hartford County, Connecticut.
Where does Bristol Water Department get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as surface water. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs.
Does Bristol Water Department have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2025. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Bristol Water Department's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the CT state drinking water program.
Where can I find Bristol Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Bristol Water Department must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Hartford County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan District Commission | Hartford | 390,887 | Community | Surface water |
| Ctwc - Northern Reg-Western System | Hartford | 101,313 | Community | Surface water |
| New Britain Water Department | Hartford | 73,534 | Community | Surface water |
| Manchester Water Department | Hartford | 51,198 | Community | Surface water |
| Southington Water Department | Hartford | 43,069 | Community | Surface water |
| Hazardville Water Company | Hartford | 18,544 | Community | Groundwater |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Bristol Water Department, PWSID CT0170011, Connecticut”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/connecticut/bristol-water-department-ct0170011 (data as of October 1, 2026).