Public water system · MA2270000
ActiveShirley Water District
At a glance
Shirley Water District (PWSID MA2270000) is an active community water system in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 4,165 people through 1,534 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, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2024.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
4,165
Service connections
1,534
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Shirley Water District compare with other water systems in Middlesex County?
By EPA's size categories, Shirley Water District is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Middlesex County has 204 active public water systems. Its population served is about half of the county average of 7,986 people per system, and accounts for 0.3% of the 1,629,099 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 Shirley Water District is about 38% below 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 Shirley Water District?
EPA lists Shirley Water District 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. 66 of the 204 active systems in Middlesex County (32%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Shirley Water District have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2024. The violations listed here began between April 2008 and October 2024. By type: 7 monitoring and reporting, 3 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 2 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (2 of them). EPA lists 11 as resolved 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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2016-12-15 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation without NPDWR Violation · code 76 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2016-12-14 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherNotification, State · code 05 | Groundwater Rulecode 0700 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2016-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (GWR) · code 34 | E. colicode 3014 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2009-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2008-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Carbon tetrachloridecode 2982 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Toluenecode 2991 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Xylenes, Totalcode 2955 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Dichloromethanecode 2964 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | cis-1,2-Dichloroethylenecode 2380 | 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.
Shirley Water District: frequently asked questions
Who runs Shirley Water District?
Shirley Water District (PWSID MA2270000) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.
How many people does Shirley Water District serve?
Shirley Water District reports serving 4,165 people through 1,534 service connections in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
Where does Shirley Water District 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 Shirley Water District have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 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 Shirley Water District'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, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 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 Shirley Water District's water quality report?
As a community water system, Shirley Water District 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 Middlesex County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell Regional Water Utility | Middlesex | 120,418 | Community | Surface water |
| Cambridge Water Department | Middlesex | 118,214 | Community | Surface water |
| Newton Water Dept. (MWRA) | Middlesex | 88,931 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Somerville Water Dept. (MWRA) | Middlesex | 81,045 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Framingham Water Dept. (MWRA) | Middlesex | 72,362 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Malden Water Division (MWRA) | Middlesex | 66,263 | Community | Purchased 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, “Shirley Water District, PWSID MA2270000, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/shirley-water-district-ma2270000 (data as of October 1, 2026).