Public water system · MA2278000
ActiveSouthbridge Water Department
At a glance
Southbridge Water Department (PWSID MA2278000) is an active community water system in Worcester County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 19,562 people through 4,651 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; all are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2007.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
19,562
Service connections
4,651
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Southbridge Water Department compare with other water systems in Worcester County?
By EPA's size categories, Southbridge Water Department is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Worcester County has 346 active public water systems. Its population served is about 8.7 times the county average of 2,239 people per system, and accounts for 2.5% of the 774,523 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 Southbridge Water Department is about 192% 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. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 76 Massachusetts systems (4.6%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Southbridge Water Department?
EPA lists Southbridge 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. 80 of the 346 active systems in Worcester County (23%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Southbridge Water Department have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; all are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2007. The violations listed here began between January 1992 and September 2007. By type: 2 contaminant level above the legal limit and 1 required treatment not met. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (2 of them). EPA lists 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2007-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1992-01-01 | Required treatment not metFailure to Filter (SWTR) · code 42 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Resolved |
All 3 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.
Southbridge Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Southbridge Water Department?
Southbridge Water Department (PWSID MA2278000) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.
How many people does Southbridge Water Department serve?
Southbridge Water Department reports serving 19,562 people through 4,651 service connections in Worcester County, Massachusetts.
Where does Southbridge Water Department get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as surface water. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs.
Does Southbridge Water Department have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; all are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2007. 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 Southbridge 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 3 violations for this system; all are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2007. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Southbridge Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Southbridge 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 Worcester County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester Dpwp, Water Supply Division | Worcester | 206,518 | Community | Surface water |
| Fitchburg Dpw Division of Water Supply | Worcester | 41,946 | Community | Surface water |
| Leominster Water Division | Worcester | 41,683 | Community | Surface water |
| Shrewsbury Water Department | Worcester | 38,325 | Community | Groundwater |
| Milford Water Department | Worcester | 30,379 | Community | Surface water |
| Westborough Water Department | Worcester | 21,567 | 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, “Southbridge Water Department, PWSID MA2278000, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/southbridge-water-department-ma2278000 (data as of October 1, 2026).