Public water system · MA3317001
ActiveWellesley College
At a glance
Wellesley College (PWSID MA3317001) is an active community water system in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 3,000 people through 62 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as privately owned. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2023.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
3,000
Service connections
62
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Wellesley College compare with other water systems in Norfolk County?
By EPA's size categories, Wellesley College is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Norfolk County has 58 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 14,602 people per system, and accounts for 0.4% of the 846,897 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 Wellesley College is about 55% 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 Wellesley College?
EPA lists Wellesley College as privately owned. 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. 26 of the 58 active systems in Norfolk County (45%) are also privately owned.
Does Wellesley College have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2023. The violations listed here began between October 1995 and July 2023. By type: 7 contaminant level above the legal limit and 5 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (7 of them). EPA lists 10 as archived, 1 as addressed and 1 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. Addressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is covered by formal enforcement. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Addressed |
| 2016-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, E. coli (RTCR) · code 1A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | Yes | Archived |
| 2014-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitritecode 1041 | No | Archived |
| 2014-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Archived |
| 2006-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 1998-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1997-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1996-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1996-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1995-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1995-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1995-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | 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.
Wellesley College: frequently asked questions
Who runs Wellesley College?
Wellesley College (PWSID MA3317001) is a community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.
How many people does Wellesley College serve?
Wellesley College reports serving 3,000 people through 62 service connections in Norfolk County, Massachusetts.
Where does Wellesley College 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 Wellesley College have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 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 Wellesley College'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, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 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 Wellesley College's water quality report?
As a community water system, Wellesley College 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 Norfolk County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quincy Water Dept. (MWRA) | Norfolk | 106,000 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Brookline Water and Sewer Division | Norfolk | 63,191 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Weymouth Water Department | Norfolk | 57,871 | Community | Surface water |
| Randolph/Holbrook Joint Water Board | Norfolk | 46,519 | Community | Surface water |
| Dedham Westwood Water Dist. | Norfolk | 41,630 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Braintree Water and Sewer Dept. | Norfolk | 39,143 | 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, “Wellesley College, PWSID MA3317001, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/wellesley-college-ma3317001 (data as of October 1, 2026).