Public water system · VT0005275
ActiveNorthfield Water Dept
At a glance
Northfield Water Dept (PWSID VT0005275) is an active community water system in Washington County, Vermont. It reports serving 5,145 people through 1,258 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, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
5,145
Service connections
1,258
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Northfield Water Dept compare with other water systems in Washington County?
By EPA's size categories, Northfield Water Dept is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Washington County has 125 active public water systems, and Northfield Water Dept is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 10 times the county average of 490 people per system, and accounts for 8.4% of the 61,286 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 Northfield Water Dept is about 23% 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 Northfield Water Dept?
EPA lists Northfield 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. 26 of the 125 active systems in Washington County (21%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Northfield Water Dept 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 2025. The violations listed here began between October 1996 and July 2025. By type: 7 contaminant level above the legal limit, 3 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 1 monitoring and 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (7 of them). EPA lists 9 as resolved and 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-03-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2000-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2000-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2000-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2000-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1999-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1999-11-01 | 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.
Northfield Water Dept: frequently asked questions
Who runs Northfield Water Dept?
Northfield Water Dept (PWSID VT0005275) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the VT state drinking water program.
How many people does Northfield Water Dept serve?
Northfield Water Dept reports serving 5,145 people through 1,258 service connections in Washington County, Vermont.
Where does Northfield 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 Northfield Water Dept 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 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 Northfield 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, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 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 Northfield Water Dept's water quality report?
As a community water system, Northfield 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 Washington County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barre City Water System | Washington | 14,000 | Community | Surface water |
| Montpelier Water System | Washington | 8,912 | Community | Surface water |
| Edward Farrar Utility District | Washington | 6,003 | Community | Surface water |
| Mountain Water Company | Washington | 2,400 | Community | Surface water |
| Berlin Municipal Water System | Washington | 1,819 | Community | Groundwater |
| Barre Town Water System | Washington | 1,638 | 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, “Northfield Water Dept, PWSID VT0005275, Vermont”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/vermont/northfield-water-dept-vt0005275 (data as of October 1, 2026).