Public water system · WA5384850
ActiveSumas Rural Water Association
At a glance
Sumas Rural Water Association (PWSID WA5384850) is an active community water system in Whatcom County, Washington. It reports serving 612 people through 199 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased groundwater, and EPA lists it as privately owned. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
612
Service connections
199
Primary source
GWP
Purchased groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Sumas Rural Water Association compare with other water systems in Whatcom County?
By EPA's size categories, Sumas Rural Water Association is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Whatcom County has 183 active public water systems. Its population served is about 57% below the county average of 1,437 people per system, and accounts for 0.2% 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 Sumas Rural Water Association 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. Washington has 2,392 active community water systems, 51% of the state's 4,705 active systems. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 53 Washington systems (1.1%) list purchased groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Sumas Rural Water Association?
EPA lists Sumas Rural Water Association as privately owned. 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. 140 of the 183 active systems in Whatcom County (77%) are also privately owned.
Does Sumas Rural Water Association have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2025. The violations listed here began between October 1992 and December 2025. By type: 7 contaminant level above the legal limit, 3 monitoring and reporting, 1 monitoring and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (8 of them). EPA lists 8 as archived, 3 as resolved and 1 as unaddressed. 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. 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.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-05-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2000-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 1999-10-19 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 1994-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1993-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1993-03-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1992-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1992-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1992-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1992-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
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.
Sumas Rural Water Association: frequently asked questions
Who runs Sumas Rural Water Association?
Sumas Rural Water Association (PWSID WA5384850) is a community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the WA state drinking water program.
How many people does Sumas Rural Water Association serve?
Sumas Rural Water Association reports serving 612 people through 199 service connections in Whatcom County, Washington.
Where does Sumas Rural Water Association 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 Sumas Rural Water Association 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 December 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 Sumas Rural Water Association'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 December 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 Sumas Rural Water Association's water quality report?
As a community water system, Sumas Rural Water Association 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 |
| Ferndale | Whatcom | 19,305 | Community | Groundwater |
| 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 |
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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, “Sumas Rural Water Association, PWSID WA5384850, Washington”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/washington/sumas-rural-water-association-wa5384850 (data as of October 1, 2026).