Public water system record
Chester Water Dept
Serves Chester, Hampden County, MA · 750 people served
Federal records show 9 health-based violations and 39 monitoring/reporting issues for Chester Water Dept in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule violation that EPA lists as archived, not resolved.
System profile
Source water
Surface water
ZIP
01011
EPA system ID
MA1059000
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 9
- Resolved
- 1
- Unresolved
- 0
- Archived by EPA
- 8
- Any acute record
- No
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 39
Key facts
- Chester Water Dept draws water from 2 surface water intakes.
- Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by Massachusetts, July 2024.
- Record on file since 1992, with 6 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 0 lead and 185 unknown out of 259 service lines.
Check whether Chester Water Dept 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 | Jul 1, 2024 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Apr 1, 2020 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Jan 1, 2020 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Oct 1, 2019 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Jul 1, 2019 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Jan 1, 2019 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Oct 1, 2018 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Jul 1, 2018 | Resolved | No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Apr 1, 2018 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
No |
Monitoring and reporting issues
Since October 2016Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.
| Issue | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 10, 2023 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jun 1, 2023 |
Active
Enforcement action in place
|
|
2,3,7,8-TCDD
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Simazine
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Picloram
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
OXAMYL
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
HEXACHLOROBENZENE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Glyphosate
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Endothall
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Diquat
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Dinoseb
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Dalapon
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Benzo(a)pyrene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
BHC-GAMMA
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Methoxychlor
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
2,4,5-TP
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Toxaphene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Pentachlorophenol
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Heptachlor
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Heptachlor epoxide
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Endrin
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
2,4-D
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Chlordane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Carbofuran
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Atrazine
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
LASSO
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2019 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Apr 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Apr 1, 2019 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2018 | Resolved |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2018 | Resolved |
|
Consumer Confidence Rule
OTHER
|
Jul 1, 2017 | Resolved |
Full record since 1992
EPA's records for Chester Water Dept go back to 1992. Before October 19, 2016 they list 6 health-based violations (2 resolved, 4 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 88 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1 | 80 |
| 2000s | 2 | 4 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 3 | 4 |
| October 19, 2016 to 2019 | 6 | 37 |
| 2020s | 3 | 2 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), began October 2011, Resolved.
Show all 6 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 2011 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Apr 1, 2010 | Archived |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jan 1, 2010 | Archived |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 2009 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 2000 | Archived |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jan 1, 1992 | Resolved |
Enforcement actions
Massachusetts regulators and EPA took 26 formal enforcement actions against Chester Water Dept and issued 1 ban on new connections between 1993 and 2024. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in July 2024.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 24, 2024 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule |
| Nov 15, 2023 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations: Lead and Copper Rule |
| Feb 11, 2020 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 30 violations: LASSO, Carbofuran, Chlordane, 2,4-D, Endrin |
| May 3, 2019 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 8 violations (6 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Dec 10, 2018 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) |
| Dec 4, 2018 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Aug 16, 2017 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Consumer Confidence Rule |
| Feb 13, 2015 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule |
| Aug 10, 2012 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule |
| Feb 3, 2012 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Nov 28, 2011 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 5 violations (4 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) |
| Jun 21, 2010 | Massachusetts | Compliance order with a penalty | 4 violations (3 health-based): Public Notice, Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Apr 7, 2010 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 3 violations (2 health-based): Public Notice, Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Mar 3, 2010 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Dec 28, 2009 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) |
| Sep 17, 2009 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations: Consumer Confidence Rule |
| Aug 4, 2008 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Consumer Confidence Rule |
| Aug 4, 2005 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Arsenic |
| Aug 22, 2001 | Massachusetts | Ban on new connections or service extensions | 1 violation |
| Aug 23, 2000 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Feb 24, 1999 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 33 violations: Aldicarb sulfone, Carbofuran, Aldicarb, Atrazine, LASSO |
| Dec 16, 1998 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 12 violations: Arsenic, Barium, Chromium (total), Fluoride, Nickel |
| May 27, 1997 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 21 violations: cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Xylenes, Total, DICHLOROMETHANE, o-Dichlorobenzene, 1,1-Dichloroethylene |
| Jul 10, 1996 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Nitrate |
| Oct 12, 1995 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 12 violations: Arsenic, Chromium (total), Fluoride, Mercury, Nickel |
| Feb 4, 1994 | EPA | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations (1 health-based): Surface Water Treatment Rule, Nitrate |
| Jul 21, 1993 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Nitrate |
What the violations mean
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
8 incidentsDisinfection byproduct levels exceeded the federal limit
Long-term TTHM exposure may increase bladder cancer risk
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
Chester Water Dept draws water from 2 surface water intakes.
Annual water quality report
Chester Water Dept 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.
Where the state allows it, systems serving fewer than 10,000 people may publish the report in a local newspaper or news site instead of mailing it, and must provide a copy on request.
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 Massachusetts.
Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells