Public water system · DE0000571
ActiveDover Water Department
At a glance
Dover Water Department (PWSID DE0000571) is an active community water system in Kent County, Delaware. It reports serving 39,491 people through 13,408 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 10 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2015.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
39,491
Service connections
13,408
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Dover Water Department compare with other water systems in Kent County?
By EPA's size categories, Dover Water Department is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Kent County has 136 active public water systems, and Dover Water Department is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 33 times the county average of 1,201 people per system, and accounts for 24% 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 Water Department is about 5.9 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. 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 Water Department?
EPA lists Dover 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. 13 of the 136 active systems in Kent County (9.6%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Dover Water Department have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 10 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2015. The violations listed here began between April 1994 and July 2015. By type: 10 contaminant level above the legal limit and 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (10 of them). EPA lists 9 as resolved and 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2006-05-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2001-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2001-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2000-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1999-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1999-10-19 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 1999-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1998-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1994-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1994-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1994-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
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.
Dover Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Dover Water Department?
Dover Water Department (PWSID DE0000571) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the DE state drinking water program.
How many people does Dover Water Department serve?
Dover Water Department reports serving 39,491 people through 13,408 service connections in Kent County, Delaware.
Where does Dover Water Department 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 Water Department have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 10 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2015. 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 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, 10 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2015. 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 Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Dover 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 Kent County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Dover Air Force Base | Kent | 11,000 | 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 Water Department, PWSID DE0000571, Delaware”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/delaware/dover-water-department-de0000571 (data as of October 1, 2026).