Public water system record
Townsend Water Department
Serves an area of Middlesex County, MA that includes Townsend · 6,500 people served
Federal records show no health-based violations and 9 monitoring/reporting issues for Townsend Water Department 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
- 9
Key facts
- Townsend Water Department draws water from 5 wells.
- Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by Massachusetts, July 2023.
- Record on file since 1997, with 14 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 0 lead and 0 unknown out of 2,150 service lines.
Check whether Townsend 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.
None since October 2016.
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
|
Apr 1, 2023 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Sep 29, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Radium-228
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2022 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
|
Radium-226
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2022 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
|
Nitrate
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2022 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Consumer Confidence Rule
OTHER
|
Jul 1, 2021 | Resolved |
|
Consumer Confidence Rule
OTHER
|
Jul 1, 2017 | Resolved |
Full record since 1997
EPA's records for Townsend Water Department go back to 1997. Before October 19, 2016 they list 14 health-based violations (12 resolved, 2 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 93 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2 | 0 |
| 2000s | 9 | 7 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 3 | 86 |
| October 19, 2016 to 2019 | 0 | 1 |
| 2020s | 0 | 8 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Coliform, began August 2010, Resolved.
Show all 14 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Aug 1, 2010 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 2010 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 1, 2010 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 2009 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 2009 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 2008 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Aug 1, 2007 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 2004 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Dec 1, 2003 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Nov 1, 2003 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 2003 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 2003 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Nov 1, 1998 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Nov 1, 1997 | Resolved |
Enforcement actions
Massachusetts regulators took 18 formal enforcement actions against Townsend Water Department between 1999 and 2023. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in July 2023.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 11, 2023 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations: Lead and Copper Rule |
| May 31, 2023 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Lead and Copper Rule |
| Apr 10, 2023 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Lead and Copper Rule |
| Mar 15, 2023 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 3 violations: Nitrate, Radium-228, Radium-226 |
| Aug 16, 2021 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Consumer Confidence Rule |
| Jul 23, 2018 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Consumer Confidence Rule |
| Feb 17, 2011 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 51 violations: Trichloroethylene, Vinyl chloride, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, 1,2-Dichloropropane, Ethylbenzene |
| Sep 20, 2010 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Aug 17, 2010 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations (2 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Sep 29, 2009 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations (2 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Sep 3, 2009 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations: Radium-226, Radium-228 |
| Sep 30, 2008 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| May 22, 2008 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations: Chlorine, Nitrate |
| Nov 21, 2007 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 3 violations: Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Chlorine |
| Oct 10, 2007 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Jan 6, 2005 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Mar 15, 2004 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 4 violations (4 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Jan 8, 1999 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
Where the water comes from
Townsend Water Department draws water from 5 wells.
Annual water quality report
Townsend 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.
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