Public water system · MA4219000
ActiveNorwell Water Department
At a glance
Norwell Water Department (PWSID MA4219000) is an active community water system in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 11,495 people through 3,798 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 2024.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
11,495
Service connections
3,798
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Norwell Water Department compare with other water systems in Plymouth County?
By EPA's size categories, Norwell Water Department is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Plymouth County has 129 active public water systems. Its population served is about 158% above the county average of 4,447 people per system, and accounts for 2% 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 Norwell Water Department is about 71% 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. 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 Norwell Water Department?
EPA lists Norwell 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 Norwell 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 2024. The violations listed here began between July 1995 and July 2024. By type: 7 monitoring and reporting, 4 contaminant level above the legal limit and 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (4 of them). EPA lists 6 as archived, 5 as resolved and 1 as addressed. 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. 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. Addressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is covered by formal enforcement.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Addressed |
| 2022-09-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Lab Certification/Method Error (RTCR) · code 3D | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2006-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2006-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Archived |
| 2006-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Archived |
| 2005-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Archived |
| 2000-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 1998-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1997-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1996-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitritecode 1041 | No | Archived |
| 1996-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Archived |
| 1995-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | 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.
Norwell Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Norwell Water Department?
Norwell Water Department (PWSID MA4219000) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.
How many people does Norwell Water Department serve?
Norwell Water Department reports serving 11,495 people through 3,798 service connections in Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
Where does Norwell 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 Norwell 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 2024. 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 Norwell 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 2024. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Norwell Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Norwell 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 |
| Marshfield Water Department | Plymouth | 34,000 | Community | Groundwater |
| Abington/Rockland Joint Wtr. Works | Plymouth | 33,387 | Community | Surface water |
| Mattapoisett River Valley W.D. | Plymouth | 29,600 | Community | Purchased 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, “Norwell Water Department, PWSID MA4219000, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/norwell-water-department-ma4219000 (data as of October 1, 2026).