Public water system · VT0020552
ActiveSterling Spring
At a glance
Sterling Spring (PWSID VT0020552) is an active community water system in Windsor County, Vermont. It reports serving 200 people through 71 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased groundwater, and EPA lists it as privately owned. EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in March 2010.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
200
Service connections
71
Primary source
GWP
Purchased groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Sterling Spring compare with other water systems in Windsor County?
By EPA's size categories, Sterling Spring is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Windsor County has 164 active public water systems. Its population served is about half of the county average of 420 people per system, and accounts for 0.3% of the 68,857 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 Sterling Spring 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. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 15 Vermont systems (1.1%) list purchased groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Sterling Spring?
EPA lists Sterling Spring 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. 125 of the 164 active systems in Windsor County (76%) are also privately owned.
Does Sterling Spring have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in March 2010. The violations listed here began between May 1997 and March 2010. By type: 5 monitoring and reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (6 of them). EPA lists 6 as resolved. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-03-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | 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 |
| 1997-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1997-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1997-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
All 6 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.
Sterling Spring: frequently asked questions
Who runs Sterling Spring?
Sterling Spring (PWSID VT0020552) is a community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the VT state drinking water program.
How many people does Sterling Spring serve?
Sterling Spring reports serving 200 people through 71 service connections in Windsor County, Vermont.
Where does Sterling Spring get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased groundwater. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Sterling Spring have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in March 2010. 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 Sterling Spring'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. EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in March 2010. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the VT state drinking water program.
Where can I find Sterling Spring's water quality report?
As a community water system, Sterling Spring 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 Windsor County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield Water Dept | Windsor | 9,800 | Community | Groundwater |
| Hartford Water Dept | Windsor | 7,600 | Community | Groundwater |
| Chester Water Dept | Windsor | 3,200 | Community | Groundwater |
| Ludlow Village Water Dept | Windsor | 2,880 | Community | Groundwater |
| Town of Woodstock Water Department | Windsor | 2,473 | Community | Groundwater |
| Windsor Water Dept | Windsor | 2,350 | 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, “Sterling Spring, PWSID VT0020552, Vermont”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/vermont/sterling-spring-vt0020552 (data as of October 1, 2026).