Public water system record
D.C. Water and Sewer Authority
Serves Washington, District of Columbia, DC · 632,323 people served
Federal records show no health-based violations and 4 monitoring/reporting issues for D.C. Water and Sewer Authority in the last ten years.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 0
- Resolved
- 0
- Unresolved
- 0
- Any acute record
- No
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 4
Key facts
- D.C. Water and Sewer Authority buys its water from Washington Aqueduct Division.
- Most recent formal enforcement: penalty complaint settled by consent order or decree by EPA, May 2007.
- Record on file since 1993, with 14 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 16,935 lead and 13,388 unknown out of 137,166 service lines.
Check whether D.C. Water and Sewer Authority serves your address
Health-based violations
Since October 2016Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.
None since October 2016.
Monitoring and reporting issues
Since October 2016Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.
| Issue | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2023 | Resolved |
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule
Monitoring violation
|
Jan 1, 2023 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Dec 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule
Monitoring violation
|
Dec 1, 2022 | Resolved |
Full record since 1993
EPA's records for D.C. Water and Sewer Authority go back to 1993. Before October 19, 2016 they list 14 health-based violations (13 resolved, 1 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 15 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8 | 6 |
| 2000s | 6 | 9 |
| 2020s | 0 | 4 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Lead and Copper Rule, began October 2004, Resolved.
Show all 14 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Oct 1, 2004 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 2004 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Oct 1, 2002 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Oct 1, 2002 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jul 1, 2001 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jul 1, 2001 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Aug 1, 1996 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 1996 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 1, 1996 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Nov 1, 1995 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 1995 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 1, 1995 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 1993 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 1993 | Resolved |
Enforcement actions
EPA took 5 formal enforcement actions against D.C. Water and Sewer Authority between 1993 and 2007. The most recent was a penalty complaint settled by consent order or decree in May 2007.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2007 | EPA | Penalty complaint settled by consent order or decree | 8 violations: Consumer Confidence Rule, Lead and Copper Rule |
| Jan 14, 2005 | EPA | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Lead and Copper Rule |
| Jun 17, 2004 | EPA | Compliance order (no penalty) | 11 violations (3 health-based): Consumer Confidence Rule, Lead and Copper Rule |
| Jul 12, 1996 | EPA | Signed compliance agreement | 7 violations (4 health-based): Total Coliform, Miscellaneous Other Rules |
| Sep 29, 1993 | EPA | Emergency order under section 1431 of the Safe Drinking Water Act | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
Where the water comes from
D.C. Water and Sewer Authority buys its water from Washington Aqueduct Division. It lists no wells or intakes of its own. 2 other community water systems and 1 smaller public system such as schools, businesses or campgrounds buy water from D.C. Water and Sewer Authority.
Buys water from
- Washington Aqueduct Division. Washington, DC
Community systems that buy water from it
- Joint Base Anacostia - Bolling Washington, DC
- Naval Station Washington - Wny Washington, DC
Annual water quality report
D.C. Water and Sewer Authority must give its customers an annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) by July 1, with the levels its tests found in the previous year.
Systems serving 10,000 or more people must mail or deliver the report to every customer, and from 2027 they must send it twice a year.
Find a posted report with EPA's Consumer Confidence Report search
Testing your own water
To test the water at your tap, or a private well this record does not cover, use a laboratory certified for drinking water by EPA Region 3.
Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells