Public water system · VT0005608
ActiveSouthface
At a glance
Southface (PWSID VT0005608) is an active community water system in Washington County, Vermont. It reports serving 105 people through 40 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, one is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2024.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
105
Service connections
40
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Southface compare with other water systems in Washington County?
By EPA's size categories, Southface is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Washington County has 125 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 490 people per system, and accounts for 0.2% 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 Southface 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 Southface?
EPA lists Southface as privately owned. 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. 94 of the 125 active systems in Washington County (75%) are also privately owned.
Does Southface have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, one is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2024. The violations listed here began between April 2001 and January 2024. By type: 10 monitoring and reporting, 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (5 of them). EPA lists 8 as resolved, 2 as unaddressed and 2 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. Unaddressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is not yet covered by formal enforcement. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2024-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2020-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2002-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 2001-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | No | Archived |
| 2001-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Thalliumcode 1085 | No | 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.
Southface: frequently asked questions
Who runs Southface?
Southface (PWSID VT0005608) is a community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the VT state drinking water program.
How many people does Southface serve?
Southface reports serving 105 people through 40 service connections in Washington County, Vermont.
Where does Southface 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 Southface 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 January 2024. 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 Southface'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 January 2024. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the VT state drinking water program.
Where can I find Southface's water quality report?
As a community water system, Southface 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 |
| Northfield Water Dept | Washington | 5,145 | Community | Groundwater |
| Mountain Water Company | Washington | 2,400 | Community | Surface water |
| Berlin Municipal Water System | Washington | 1,819 | 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, “Southface, PWSID VT0005608, Vermont”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/vermont/southface-vt0005608 (data as of October 1, 2026).