Public water system · MD1011018
ActiveBriar Patch
At a glance
Briar Patch (PWSID MD1011018) is an active transient non-community water system in Allegany County, Maryland. It reports serving 56 people through 1 service connection. Its primary water source is groundwater under influence of surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; all are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2008.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
56
Service connections
1
Primary source
GU
Groundwater under influence of surface water
System type
TNCWS
Transient non-community water system
System record
How does Briar Patch compare with other water systems in Allegany County?
By EPA's size categories, Briar Patch is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Allegany County has 53 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 1,293 people per system, and accounts for less than 0.1% of the 68,550 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Maryland, the 2,992 active systems average 1,947 people each. Nationally, the average active transient non-community water system reports serving 144 people, so Briar Patch is about 61% below that figure.
What does “transient non-community water system” mean?
A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. Maryland has 2,079 active transient non-community water systems, 69% of the state's 2,992 active systems. Groundwater under the influence of surface water is well or spring water that the regulator has found to be affected by nearby surface water, so it is regulated under the surface-water treatment rules. 29 Maryland systems (1%) list groundwater under influence of surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Briar Patch?
EPA lists Briar Patch as owned by a local government. The MD 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 53 active systems in Allegany County (36%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Briar Patch have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; all are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2008. The violations listed here began between January 1998 and September 2008. By type: 5 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (5 of them). EPA lists 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2005-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2003-05-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2003-04-01 | 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, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
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.
Briar Patch: frequently asked questions
Who runs Briar Patch?
Briar Patch (PWSID MD1011018) is a transient non-community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MD state drinking water program.
How many people does Briar Patch serve?
Briar Patch reports serving 56 people through 1 service connection in Allegany County, Maryland.
Where does Briar Patch get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater under influence of surface water. Groundwater under the influence of surface water is well or spring water that the regulator has found to be affected by nearby surface water, so it is regulated under the surface-water treatment rules.
Does Briar Patch have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; all are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2008. 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 Briar Patch'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; all are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2008. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the MD state drinking water program.
Where can I find Briar Patch's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. Briar Patch is a transient non-community water system, so it is not required to publish one; like every public water system, it must notify the people it serves about violations under EPA's public notification rules.
Other water systems in Allegany County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Cumberland | Allegany | 27,039 | Community | Surface water |
| City of Frostburg | Allegany | 11,000 | Community | Surface water |
| Eastern Region Allegany Distrib. System | Allegany | 5,703 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Lavale Sanitary Commission | Allegany | 5,500 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Midland-Lonaconing | Allegany | 5,000 | Community | Surface water |
| Western Region Allegany Distrib. System | Allegany | 4,955 | Community | Purchased surface water |
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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, “Briar Patch, PWSID MD1011018, Maryland”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/maryland/briar-patch-md1011018 (data as of October 1, 2026).