Public water system · ME0090290
ActiveCalais Water Dept
At a glance
Calais Water Dept (PWSID ME0090290) is an active community water system in Washington County, Maine. It reports serving 2,775 people through 1,110 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2022.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
2,775
Service connections
1,110
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Calais Water Dept compare with other water systems in Washington County?
By EPA's size categories, Calais Water Dept is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Washington County has 109 active public water systems, and Calais Water Dept is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 14 times the county average of 205 people per system, and accounts for 12% of the 22,334 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Maine, the 1,862 active systems average 503 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Calais Water Dept is about 59% below 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. Maine has 386 active community water systems, 21% of the state's 1,862 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 1,780 Maine systems (96%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Calais Water Dept?
EPA lists Calais Water Dept as owned by a local government. The ME 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 109 active systems in Washington County (28%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Calais Water Dept have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2022. The violations listed here began between October 1995 and January 2022. By type: 4 contaminant level above the legal limit, 3 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Consumer Confidence Rule (3 of them). EPA lists 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2006-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingWater Quality Parameter M/R · code 53 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-10-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 1998-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1998-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1995-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
All 8 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.
Calais Water Dept: frequently asked questions
Who runs Calais Water Dept?
Calais Water Dept (PWSID ME0090290) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the ME state drinking water program.
How many people does Calais Water Dept serve?
Calais Water Dept reports serving 2,775 people through 1,110 service connections in Washington County, Maine.
Where does Calais Water Dept 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 Calais Water Dept have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2022. 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 Calais Water Dept'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 8 violations for this system; 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2022. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the ME state drinking water program.
Where can I find Calais Water Dept's water quality report?
As a community water system, Calais Water Dept 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 Washington County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passamaquoddy Water District | Washington | 2,125 | Community | Surface water |
| Lubec Water District | Washington | 1,775 | Community | Groundwater |
| Baileyville Utilities District | Washington | 1,688 | Community | Groundwater |
| Machias Water Company | Washington | 1,390 | Community | Groundwater |
| Indian Township Tribal Water System | Washington | 535 | Community | Groundwater |
| Washington Academy #2 | Washington | 425 | Non-transient non-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, “Calais Water Dept, PWSID ME0090290, Maine”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/maine/calais-water-dept-me0090290 (data as of October 1, 2026).