Public water system · MA4171000
ActiveMarshfield Water Department
At a glance
Marshfield Water Department (PWSID MA4171000) is an active community water system in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 34,000 people through 11,000 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, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
34,000
Service connections
11,000
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Marshfield Water Department compare with other water systems in Plymouth County?
By EPA's size categories, Marshfield Water Department is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Plymouth County has 129 active public water systems, and Marshfield Water Department is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 7.6 times the county average of 4,447 people per system, and accounts for 5.9% of the 573,676 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 Marshfield Water Department is about 5.1 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. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 1,354 Massachusetts systems (83%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Marshfield Water Department?
EPA lists Marshfield Water Department 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. 37 of the 129 active systems in Plymouth County (29%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Marshfield Water Department have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. The violations listed here began between December 2010 and July 2025. By type: 4 contaminant level above the legal limit, 3 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 2 reporting, 2 monitoring and 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Revised Total Coliform Rule (5 of them). EPA lists 9 as resolved, 2 as archived and 1 as unaddressed. 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. Unaddressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is not yet covered by formal enforcement.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-02 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2022-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-04-11 | ReportingReport Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR) · code 4B | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-03-11 | ReportingReport Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR) · code 4B | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-03-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Archived |
| 2022-02-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Archived |
| 2019-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, E. coli (RTCR) · code 1A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2015-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2013-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2012-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2010-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Minor (TCR) · code 26 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | 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.
Marshfield Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Marshfield Water Department?
Marshfield Water Department (PWSID MA4171000) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.
How many people does Marshfield Water Department serve?
Marshfield Water Department reports serving 34,000 people through 11,000 service connections in Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
Where does Marshfield 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 Marshfield Water Department have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. 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 Marshfield 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, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Marshfield Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Marshfield 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 Plymouth County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brockton Water Department | Plymouth | 105,788 | Community | Surface water |
| Plymouth Water Department | Plymouth | 47,100 | Community | Groundwater |
| Weir River Water System | Plymouth | 45,339 | Community | Surface water |
| Abington/Rockland Joint Wtr. Works | Plymouth | 33,387 | Community | Surface water |
| Mattapoisett River Valley W.D. | Plymouth | 29,600 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Bridgewater Water Department | Plymouth | 28,633 | 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, “Marshfield Water Department, PWSID MA4171000, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/marshfield-water-department-ma4171000 (data as of October 1, 2026).