Public water system · MA4239000
ActivePlymouth Water Department
At a glance
Plymouth Water Department (PWSID MA4239000) is an active community water system in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 47,100 people through 15,003 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2019.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
47,100
Service connections
15,003
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Plymouth Water Department compare with other water systems in Plymouth County?
By EPA's size categories, Plymouth Water Department is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Plymouth County has 129 active public water systems, and Plymouth Water Department is the 2nd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 11 times the county average of 4,447 people per system, and accounts for 8.2% 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 Plymouth Water Department is about 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. 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 Plymouth Water Department?
EPA lists Plymouth 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 Plymouth Water Department have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2019. The violations listed here began between September 1993 and October 2019. By type: 6 contaminant level above the legal limit, 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (6 of them). EPA lists 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 1998-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1997-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1996-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1995-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1993-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1993-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
All 9 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.
Plymouth Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Plymouth Water Department?
Plymouth Water Department (PWSID MA4239000) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.
How many people does Plymouth Water Department serve?
Plymouth Water Department reports serving 47,100 people through 15,003 service connections in Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
Where does Plymouth 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 Plymouth Water Department have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2019. 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 Plymouth 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. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2019. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Plymouth Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Plymouth 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 |
| 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 |
| 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, “Plymouth Water Department, PWSID MA4239000, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/plymouth-water-department-ma4239000 (data as of October 1, 2026).