Public water system · MA1223000
ActiveOrange Water Dept
At a glance
Orange Water Dept (PWSID MA1223000) is an active community water system in Franklin County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 6,526 people through 1,886 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; all are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2015.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
6,526
Service connections
1,886
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Orange Water Dept compare with other water systems in Franklin County?
By EPA's size categories, Orange Water Dept is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Franklin County has 113 active public water systems, and Orange Water Dept is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 13 times the county average of 521 people per system, and accounts for 11% of the 58,894 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 Orange Water Dept is roughly in line with 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 Orange Water Dept?
EPA lists Orange 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. 40 of the 113 active systems in Franklin County (35%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Orange Water Dept have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; all are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2015. The violations listed here began between November 1996 and October 2015. By type: 5 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (5 of them). EPA lists 3 as resolved and 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2014-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2013-11-01 | 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 |
| 1996-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
All 5 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.
Orange Water Dept: frequently asked questions
Who runs Orange Water Dept?
Orange Water Dept (PWSID MA1223000) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.
How many people does Orange Water Dept serve?
Orange Water Dept reports serving 6,526 people through 1,886 service connections in Franklin County, Massachusetts.
Where does Orange 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 Orange Water Dept have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; all are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2015. 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 Orange 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. EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; all are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2015. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Orange Water Dept's water quality report?
As a community water system, Orange 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 Franklin County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenfield Water Department | Franklin | 17,768 | Community | Surface water |
| Turners Falls Water Dept | Franklin | 8,080 | Community | Groundwater |
| South Deerfield Water Supply District | Franklin | 3,800 | Community | Surface water |
| Sunderland Water District | Franklin | 3,190 | Community | Groundwater |
| Shelburne Falls Fire District | Franklin | 1,806 | Community | Groundwater |
| Bernardston Fire Water Dist | Franklin | 1,471 | 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, “Orange Water Dept, PWSID MA1223000, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/orange-water-dept-ma1223000 (data as of October 1, 2026).