Public water system · DE0000825
ActiveDewey Beach Water Department
At a glance
Dewey Beach Water Department (PWSID DE0000825) is an active community water system in Sussex County, Delaware. It reports serving 31,000 people through 2,771 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in October 2009.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
31,000
Service connections
2,771
Primary source
GWP
Purchased groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Dewey Beach Water Department compare with other water systems in Sussex County?
By EPA's size categories, Dewey Beach Water Department is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Sussex County has 246 active public water systems, and Dewey Beach Water Department is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 20 times the county average of 1,556 people per system, and accounts for 8.1% of the 382,753 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Delaware, the 494 active systems average 2,238 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Dewey Beach Water Department is about 4.6 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. Delaware has 219 active community water systems, 44% of the state's 494 active systems. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 25 Delaware systems (5.1%) list purchased groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Dewey Beach Water Department?
EPA lists Dewey Beach Water Department as owned by a local government. The DE state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 19 of the 246 active systems in Sussex County (7.7%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Dewey Beach Water Department have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in October 2009. By type: 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved is Total coliform bacteria (TCR). EPA lists 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
The one violation in EPA's records.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.
Dewey Beach Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Dewey Beach Water Department?
Dewey Beach Water Department (PWSID DE0000825) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the DE state drinking water program.
How many people does Dewey Beach Water Department serve?
Dewey Beach Water Department reports serving 31,000 people through 2,771 service connections in Sussex County, Delaware.
Where does Dewey Beach Water Department get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased groundwater. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Dewey Beach Water Department have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in October 2009. 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 Dewey Beach 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. EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in October 2009. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the DE state drinking water program.
Where can I find Dewey Beach Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Dewey Beach 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 Sussex County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rehoboth Pump District (Tui) | Sussex | 81,417 | Community | Groundwater |
| Bethany Bay Pump District | Sussex | 51,000 | Community | Groundwater |
| Rehoboth Beach Water Department | Sussex | 25,000 | Community | Groundwater |
| Artesian Southern Sussex Regional | Sussex | 18,215 | Community | Groundwater |
| Sussex Shores Water Company | Sussex | 12,450 | Community | Groundwater |
| Bethany Beach Water Department | Sussex | 12,000 | 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, “Dewey Beach Water Department, PWSID DE0000825, Delaware”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/delaware/dewey-beach-water-department-de0000825 (data as of October 1, 2026).