Public water system · VT0005117
ActiveFairfax Water Dept
At a glance
Fairfax Water Dept (PWSID VT0005117) is an active community water system in Franklin County, Vermont. It reports serving 1,550 people through 286 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, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,550
Service connections
286
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Fairfax Water Dept compare with other water systems in Franklin County?
By EPA's size categories, Fairfax Water Dept is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Franklin County has 83 active public water systems, and Fairfax Water Dept is the 5th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 3.6 times the county average of 436 people per system, and accounts for 4.3% of the 36,208 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Vermont, the 1,357 active systems average 477 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Fairfax Water Dept is well 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. Vermont has 405 active community water systems, 30% of the state's 1,357 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 1,243 Vermont systems (92%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Fairfax Water Dept?
EPA lists Fairfax Water Dept as owned by a local government. The VT state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 21 of the 83 active systems in Franklin County (25%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Fairfax Water Dept have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2025. The violations listed here began between October 1996 and November 2025. By type: 4 contaminant level above the legal limit, 3 monitoring and reporting, 3 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 2 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (4 of them). EPA lists 11 as resolved and 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-02-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 1999-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1999-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1998-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1996-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | 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.
Fairfax Water Dept: frequently asked questions
Who runs Fairfax Water Dept?
Fairfax Water Dept (PWSID VT0005117) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the VT state drinking water program.
How many people does Fairfax Water Dept serve?
Fairfax Water Dept reports serving 1,550 people through 286 service connections in Franklin County, Vermont.
Where does Fairfax Water Dept 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 Fairfax Water Dept have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2025. 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 Fairfax Water Dept'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, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the VT state drinking water program.
Where can I find Fairfax Water Dept's water quality report?
As a community water system, Fairfax Water Dept 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 Franklin County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Albans Water Dept | Franklin | 10,200 | Community | Surface water |
| Swanton Village Water | Franklin | 4,000 | Community | Surface water |
| Richford Water System | Franklin | 1,700 | Community | Surface water |
| Enosburg Falls Water System | Franklin | 1,700 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lakewood Campground | Franklin | 998 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Georgia Elementary School | Franklin | 900 | Non-transient non-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, “Fairfax Water Dept, PWSID VT0005117, Vermont”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/vermont/fairfax-water-dept-vt0005117 (data as of October 1, 2026).