Public water system record
Holliston Water Department
Serves an area of Middlesex County, MA · 15,713 people served
Federal records show 4 health-based violations and 35 monitoring/reporting issues for Holliston Water Department in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a resolved Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) violation.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 4
- Resolved
- 4
- Unresolved
- 0
- Any acute record
- No
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 35
Key facts
- Holliston Water Department draws water from 6 wells (1 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use).
- Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by Massachusetts, September 2025.
- Record on file since 1993, with 7 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 0 lead and 3,821 unknown out of 5,203 service lines.
Check whether Holliston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Apr 1, 2017 | Resolved | No |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Apr 1, 2017 | Resolved | No |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Jan 1, 2017 | Resolved | No |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Jan 1, 2017 | Resolved | 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 1, 2024 |
Active
Enforcement action in place
|
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Apr 1, 2023 |
Active
Enforcement action in place
|
|
Benzo(a)pyrene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
BHC-GAMMA
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Methoxychlor
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
2,4,5-TP
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Toxaphene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Pentachlorophenol
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Heptachlor
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Heptachlor epoxide
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Endrin
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
2,4-D
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Chlordane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Carbofuran
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Atrazine
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
LASSO
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
2,3,7,8-TCDD
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Simazine
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Picloram
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
OXAMYL
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
HEXACHLOROBENZENE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Glyphosate
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Endothall
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Diquat
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Dinoseb
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Dalapon
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Apr 10, 2017 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Dec 30, 2016 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2015 | Resolved |
Full record since 1993
EPA's records for Holliston Water Department go back to 1993. Before October 19, 2016 they list 7 health-based violations (7 resolved) and 109 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1 | 55 |
| 2000s | 2 | 26 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 4 | 28 |
| October 19, 2016 to 2019 | 4 | 2 |
| 2020s | 0 | 32 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Coliform, began February 2014, Resolved.
Show all 7 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Feb 1, 2014 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 2013 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 2011 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 2011 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 2004 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 2004 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 1997 | Resolved |
Enforcement actions
Massachusetts regulators took 17 formal enforcement actions against Holliston Water Department and issued 1 boil water order between 1993 and 2025, filed as 21 records in EPA's data. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in September 2025.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2025 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Lead and Copper Rule |
| Jul 20, 2023 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Lead and Copper Rule |
| Jun 28, 2023 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 30 violations: Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE, Benzo(a)pyrene, Dalapon, Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate |
| Jun 2, 2017 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Lead and Copper Rule |
| Mar 1, 2016 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Lead and Copper Rule |
| Dec 9, 2011 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations (2 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Nov 12, 2010 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Chlorine |
| Dec 11, 2009 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Consumer Confidence Rule |
| Sep 4, 2008 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 25 violations: Arsenic, Styrene, p-Dichlorobenzene, Carbon tetrachloride, CHLOROBENZENE |
| Nov 9, 2005 | Massachusetts | Boil water order | 1 violation |
| Nov 29, 2004 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Oct 21, 2004 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Sep 30, 1998 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 21 violations: 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, o-Dichlorobenzene, Vinyl chloride, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Carbon tetrachloride |
| Mar 31, 1998 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Nitrite |
| Aug 14, 1997 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Sep 27, 1996 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 22 violations: Nitrate, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Xylenes, Total, o-Dichlorobenzene |
| Dec 7, 1994 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Nitrate |
| May 27, 1993 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 10 violations: Benzene, Trichloroethylene, Carbon tetrachloride, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, p-Dichlorobenzene |
What the violations mean
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
2 incidentsDisinfection byproduct levels exceeded the federal limit
Long-term TTHM exposure may increase bladder cancer risk
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
2 incidentsHaloacetic acid byproducts exceeded the federal limit
Long-term exposure to HAAs may increase cancer risk
Where the water comes from
Holliston Water Department draws water from 6 wells (1 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use).
Annual water quality report
Holliston 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 Massachusetts.
Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells