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Public water system · MA3023002

Active

Hanscom Afb

At a glance

Hanscom Afb (PWSID MA3023002) is an active community water system in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 11,789 people through 203 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by the federal government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 10 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2020.

Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.

Population served

11,789

Service connections

203

Primary source

SWP

Purchased surface water

System type

CWS

Community water system

System record

PWSIDMA3023002
System typeCommunity water system
Activity statusActive
Population served11,789
Service connections203
Primary water sourcePurchased surface water
Owner typeFederal government
Primacy agencyMA state drinking water program
City servedBedford
StateMassachusetts
ZIP01731
CountyMiddlesex County

How does Hanscom Afb compare with other water systems in Middlesex County?

By EPA's size categories, Hanscom Afb is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Middlesex County has 204 active public water systems. Its population served is about 48% above the county average of 7,986 people per system, and accounts for 0.7% of the 1,629,099 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 Hanscom Afb is about 76% 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. Massachusetts has 531 active community water systems, 32% of the state's 1,636 active systems. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 126 Massachusetts systems (7.7%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.

Who owns and regulates Hanscom Afb?

EPA lists Hanscom Afb as owned by the federal 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. 4 of the 204 active systems in Middlesex County (2%) are also owned by the federal government.

Does Hanscom Afb have drinking water violations?

Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 10 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2020. The violations listed here began between August 2012 and October 2020. By type: 9 contaminant level above the legal limit, 1 monitoring and reporting, 1 required treatment not met and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (9 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.

BeganViolationContaminant or ruleHealth-basedStatus
2020-10-01Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456NoArchived
2019-10-01Required treatment not metTreatment Technique, Level 2 Assessment (RTCR) · code 2BRevised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000YesResolved
2017-07-01Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000NoResolved
2015-08-01Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100YesArchived
2015-04-01Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100YesArchived
2014-11-01Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100YesArchived
2014-09-01Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100YesArchived
2013-09-01Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100YesResolved
2013-08-01Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100YesResolved
2012-10-01Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100YesResolved
2012-09-01Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100YesResolved
2012-08-01Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100YesResolved

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.

Hanscom Afb: frequently asked questions

Who runs Hanscom Afb?

Hanscom Afb (PWSID MA3023002) is a community water system owned by the federal government. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.

How many people does Hanscom Afb serve?

Hanscom Afb reports serving 11,789 people through 203 service connections in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Where does Hanscom Afb get its water?

EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.

Does Hanscom Afb 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 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 Hanscom Afb'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 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 Hanscom Afb's water quality report?

As a community water system, Hanscom Afb 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 Middlesex County

Water systemCountyPopulation servedTypeSource
Lowell Regional Water UtilityMiddlesex120,418CommunitySurface water
Cambridge Water DepartmentMiddlesex118,214CommunitySurface water
Newton Water Dept. (MWRA)Middlesex88,931CommunityPurchased surface water
Somerville Water Dept. (MWRA)Middlesex81,045CommunityPurchased surface water
Framingham Water Dept. (MWRA)Middlesex72,362CommunityPurchased surface water
Malden Water Division (MWRA)Middlesex66,263CommunityPurchased 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, “Hanscom Afb, PWSID MA3023002, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/hanscom-afb-ma3023002 (data as of October 1, 2026).