Public water system · MA3199000
ActiveNeedham Water Dept
At a glance
Needham Water Dept (PWSID MA3199000) is an active community water system in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 31,664 people through 10,294 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2013.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
31,664
Service connections
10,294
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Needham Water Dept compare with other water systems in Norfolk County?
By EPA's size categories, Needham Water Dept is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Norfolk County has 58 active public water systems. Its population served is about twice the county average of 14,602 people per system, and accounts for 3.7% of the 846,897 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 Needham Water Dept is about 4.7 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. 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 Needham Water Dept?
EPA lists Needham 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. 30 of the 58 active systems in Norfolk County (52%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Needham Water Dept have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2013. The violations listed here began between July 2013 and July 2013. By type: 12 monitoring and reporting. The contaminants or rules involved are Chlorobenzene, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, Toluene and Benzene. EPA lists 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Chlorobenzenecode 2989 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzenecode 2378 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Toluenecode 2991 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Benzenecode 2990 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Styrenecode 2996 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Tetrachloroethylenecode 2987 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Carbon tetrachloridecode 2982 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,1-Dichloroethylenecode 2977 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Xylenes, Totalcode 2955 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,1,2-Trichloroethanecode 2985 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | trans-1,2-Dichloroethylenecode 2979 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | o-Dichlorobenzenecode 2968 | 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.
Needham Water Dept: frequently asked questions
Who runs Needham Water Dept?
Needham Water Dept (PWSID MA3199000) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.
How many people does Needham Water Dept serve?
Needham Water Dept reports serving 31,664 people through 10,294 service connections in Norfolk County, Massachusetts.
Where does Needham Water Dept 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 Needham Water Dept have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2013. 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 Needham 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, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2013. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Needham Water Dept's water quality report?
As a community water system, Needham 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 Norfolk County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quincy Water Dept. (MWRA) | Norfolk | 106,000 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Brookline Water and Sewer Division | Norfolk | 63,191 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Weymouth Water Department | Norfolk | 57,871 | Community | Surface water |
| Randolph/Holbrook Joint Water Board | Norfolk | 46,519 | Community | Surface water |
| Dedham Westwood Water Dist. | Norfolk | 41,630 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Braintree Water and Sewer Dept. | Norfolk | 39,143 | Community | 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, “Needham Water Dept, PWSID MA3199000, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/needham-water-dept-ma3199000 (data as of October 1, 2026).