Public water system · MA2287000
ActiveSturbridge Water Department
At a glance
Sturbridge Water Department (PWSID MA2287000) is an active community water system in Worcester County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 4,746 people through 1,854 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater under influence of surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2023.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
4,746
Service connections
1,854
Primary source
GU
Groundwater under influence of surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Sturbridge Water Department compare with other water systems in Worcester County?
By EPA's size categories, Sturbridge Water Department is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Worcester County has 346 active public water systems. Its population served is about twice the county average of 2,239 people per system, and accounts for 0.6% 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 Sturbridge Water Department is about 29% 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 under the influence of surface water is well or spring water that the regulator has found to be affected by nearby surface water, so it is regulated under the surface-water treatment rules. 14 Massachusetts systems (0.9%) list groundwater under influence of surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Sturbridge Water Department?
EPA lists Sturbridge 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 Sturbridge Water Department have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2023. The violations listed here began between April 2003 and October 2023. By type: 11 monitoring and reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Lead and Copper Rule (2 of them). EPA lists 9 as archived and 3 as resolved. 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.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, E. coli (RTCR) · code 1A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2017-12-30 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,1,2-Trichloroethanecode 2985 | No | Archived |
| 2003-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,2-Dichloropropanecode 2983 | No | Archived |
| 2003-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,1,1-Trichloroethanecode 2981 | No | Archived |
| 2003-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | o-Dichlorobenzenecode 2968 | No | Archived |
| 2003-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Ethylbenzenecode 2992 | No | Archived |
| 2003-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Xylenes, Totalcode 2955 | No | Archived |
| 2003-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Tetrachloroethylenecode 2987 | No | Archived |
| 2003-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Vinyl chloridecode 2976 | No | Archived |
| 2003-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzenecode 2378 | No | Archived |
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.
Sturbridge Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Sturbridge Water Department?
Sturbridge Water Department (PWSID MA2287000) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.
How many people does Sturbridge Water Department serve?
Sturbridge Water Department reports serving 4,746 people through 1,854 service connections in Worcester County, Massachusetts.
Where does Sturbridge Water Department get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater under influence of surface water. Groundwater under the influence of surface water is well or spring water that the regulator has found to be affected by nearby surface water, so it is regulated under the surface-water treatment rules.
Does Sturbridge Water Department have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2023. 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 Sturbridge 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, one is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2023. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Sturbridge Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Sturbridge 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, “Sturbridge Water Department, PWSID MA2287000, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/sturbridge-water-department-ma2287000 (data as of October 1, 2026).