Public water system record
Wilmington Water Department
Serves an area of New Castle County, DE that includes Wilmington, Greenville and Edgemoor · 107,976 people served
Federal records show 1 health-based violation and 1 monitoring/reporting issue for Wilmington Water Department in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a resolved Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule violation.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 1
- Resolved
- 1
- Unresolved
- 0
- Any acute record
- No
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 1
Key facts
- Wilmington Water Department draws water from 2 surface water intakes and 2 reservoirs (2 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use).
- Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by EPA, November 2017.
- Record on file since 2001, with 3 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 1,708 lead and 11,241 unknown out of 30,868 service lines.
Check whether Wilmington Water Department 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.
| Contaminant | Rule family | Start date | Status | Acute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
120 | Oct 1, 2017 | Resolved | No |
Monitoring and reporting issues
Since October 2016Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.
| Issue | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule
Monitoring violation
|
Aug 1, 2023 | Resolved |
Full record since 2001
EPA's records for Wilmington Water Department go back to 2001. Before October 19, 2016 they list 3 health-based violations (3 resolved) and 7 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2 | 2 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 1 | 5 |
| October 19, 2016 to 2019 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 | 1 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Coliform, began July 2013, Resolved.
Show all 3 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 2013 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
May 1, 2004 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Oct 1, 2003 | Resolved |
Enforcement actions
EPA took 1 formal enforcement action against Wilmington Water Department in 2017. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in November 2017.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 29, 2017 | EPA | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule |
What the violations mean
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
1 incidentThe system failed required surface water treatment or filtration standards
Untreated or inadequately treated surface water can contain bacteria and viruses
Where the water comes from
Wilmington Water Department draws water from 2 surface water intakes and 2 reservoirs (2 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use). It also has an emergency connection to Artesian Water Company. 1 other community water system buys water from Wilmington Water Department. 1 other public water system has an emergency, seasonal or other part-time connection to Wilmington Water Department.
Emergency or part-time connections to
- Artesian Water Company Newark, DE
Community systems that buy water from it
- Artesian Water Company Newark, DE
Annual water quality report
Wilmington Water Department 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 Delaware.
Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells