Public water system · DE0000579
ActiveDover Air Force Base
At a glance
Dover Air Force Base (PWSID DE0000579) is an active community water system in Kent County, Delaware. It reports serving 11,000 people through 180 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by the federal government. EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2013.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
11,000
Service connections
180
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Dover Air Force Base compare with other water systems in Kent County?
By EPA's size categories, Dover Air Force Base is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Kent County has 136 active public water systems, and Dover Air Force Base is the 5th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 9.2 times the county average of 1,201 people per system, and accounts for 6.7% of the 163,362 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 Dover Air Force Base is about 64% above 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. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 459 Delaware systems (93%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Dover Air Force Base?
EPA lists Dover Air Force Base as owned by the federal 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. 3 of the 136 active systems in Kent County (2.2%) are also owned by the federal government.
Does Dover Air Force Base have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2013. The violations listed here began between January 1997 and September 2013. By type: 3 contaminant level above the legal limit, 1 monitoring and reporting and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (4 of them). EPA lists 3 as resolved and 2 as archived. 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. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Minor (TCR) · code 26 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-08-08 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation without NPDWR Violation · code 76 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-05-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1997-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1997-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
All 5 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.
Dover Air Force Base: frequently asked questions
Who runs Dover Air Force Base?
Dover Air Force Base (PWSID DE0000579) is a community water system owned by the federal government. It is regulated by the DE state drinking water program.
How many people does Dover Air Force Base serve?
Dover Air Force Base reports serving 11,000 people through 180 service connections in Kent County, Delaware.
Where does Dover Air Force Base get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does Dover Air Force Base have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2013. 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 Dover Air Force Base'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 5 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2013. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the DE state drinking water program.
Where can I find Dover Air Force Base's water quality report?
As a community water system, Dover Air Force Base 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 Kent County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover Water Department | Kent | 39,491 | Community | Groundwater |
| Camden Pump District | Kent | 17,208 | Community | Groundwater |
| Garrison Lake Pump District | Kent | 17,148 | Community | Groundwater |
| Smyrna Water Department | Kent | 11,813 | Community | Groundwater |
| Milford Water Department | Kent | 9,800 | Community | Groundwater |
| Church Creek (Awc) | Kent | 9,654 | 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, “Dover Air Force Base, PWSID DE0000579, Delaware”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/delaware/dover-air-force-base-de0000579 (data as of October 1, 2026).