Public water system · MA4096000
ActiveFalmouth Water Dept
At a glance
Falmouth Water Dept (PWSID MA4096000) is an active community water system in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 97,551 people through 21,920 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 8 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2020.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
97,551
Service connections
21,920
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Falmouth Water Dept compare with other water systems in Barnstable County?
By EPA's size categories, Falmouth Water Dept is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Barnstable County has 125 active public water systems, and Falmouth Water Dept is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 19 times the county average of 5,016 people per system, and accounts for 16% of the 627,054 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Massachusetts, the 1,636 active systems average 6,275 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Falmouth Water Dept is about 15 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. Massachusetts has 531 active community water systems, 32% of the state's 1,636 active systems. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 76 Massachusetts systems (4.6%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Falmouth Water Dept?
EPA lists Falmouth Water Dept as owned by a local government. The MA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 31 of the 125 active systems in Barnstable County (25%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Falmouth Water Dept have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 8 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2020. The violations listed here began between June 2010 and October 2020. By type: 7 contaminant level above the legal limit, 2 monitoring and reporting, 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 required treatment not met. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) (5 of them). EPA lists 7 as resolved and 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-08-01 | Required treatment not metMonthly Turbidity Exceed (Enhanced SWTR) · code 44 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0300 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2016-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
| 2016-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
| 2016-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
| 2015-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
| 2014-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
| 2010-06-12 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2010-06-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherNotification, State · code 05 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
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.
Falmouth Water Dept: frequently asked questions
Who runs Falmouth Water Dept?
Falmouth Water Dept (PWSID MA4096000) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.
How many people does Falmouth Water Dept serve?
Falmouth Water Dept reports serving 97,551 people through 21,920 service connections in Barnstable County, Massachusetts.
Where does Falmouth Water Dept get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as surface water. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs.
Does Falmouth Water Dept have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 8 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2020. 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 Falmouth 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. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 8 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2020. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Falmouth Water Dept's water quality report?
As a community water system, Falmouth 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 Barnstable County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis Water District | Barnstable | 65,000 | Community | Groundwater |
| Upper Cape Regional Water Cooperative | Barnstable | 56,250 | Community | Groundwater |
| Centerville Osterville Marstons Mills Wd | Barnstable | 50,000 | Community | Groundwater |
| Harwich Water Department | Barnstable | 39,144 | Community | Groundwater |
| Yarmouth Water Department | Barnstable | 38,900 | Community | Groundwater |
| Mashpee Water District | Barnstable | 36,922 | 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, “Falmouth Water Dept, PWSID MA4096000, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/falmouth-water-dept-ma4096000 (data as of October 1, 2026).