Public water system · WA5324850
ActiveFerndale
At a glance
Ferndale (PWSID WA5324850) is an active community water system in Whatcom County, Washington. It reports serving 19,305 people through 7,718 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, none is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
19,305
Service connections
7,718
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Ferndale compare with other water systems in Whatcom County?
By EPA's size categories, Ferndale is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Whatcom County has 183 active public water systems, and Ferndale is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 13 times the county average of 1,437 people per system, and accounts for 7.3% of the 263,011 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Washington, the 4,705 active systems average 2,172 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Ferndale is about 188% above 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. Washington has 2,392 active community water systems, 51% of the state's 4,705 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 4,370 Washington systems (93%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Ferndale?
EPA lists Ferndale as owned by a local government. The WA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 28 of the 183 active systems in Whatcom County (15%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Ferndale have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025. The violations listed here began between October 1999 and January 2025. By type: 8 monitoring and reporting and 4 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) (4 of them). EPA lists 10 as resolved 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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Archived |
| 2025-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Archived |
| 2024-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2016-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 1999-10-19 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | 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.
Ferndale: frequently asked questions
Who runs Ferndale?
Ferndale (PWSID WA5324850) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the WA state drinking water program.
How many people does Ferndale serve?
Ferndale reports serving 19,305 people through 7,718 service connections in Whatcom County, Washington.
Where does Ferndale 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 Ferndale have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in January 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 Ferndale'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, none is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the WA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Ferndale's water quality report?
As a community water system, Ferndale 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 Whatcom County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham-Water Division City of | Whatcom | 141,127 | Community | Surface water |
| Lynden Water Department | Whatcom | 20,062 | Community | Surface water |
| Lwwsd - South Shore Water System | Whatcom | 10,028 | Community | Surface water |
| Birch Bay Water & Sewer District | Whatcom | 9,046 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Blaine City of | Whatcom | 6,319 | Community | Groundwater |
| Everson City of | Whatcom | 3,893 | 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, “Ferndale, PWSID WA5324850, Washington”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/washington/ferndale-wa5324850 (data as of October 1, 2026).