Public water system record
Hanscom AFB
Serves Hanscom AFB and Lexington, Middlesex County, MA · 11,789 people served
Federal records show 1 health-based violation and 2 monitoring/reporting issues for Hanscom AFB in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a resolved Revised Total Coliform Rule violation.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 1
- Resolved
- 1
- Unresolved
- 0
- Any acute record
- No
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 2
Key facts
- Hanscom AFB buys its water from Bedford Water Dept., Lexington Water Dept. (MWRA) and MWRA.
- Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by Massachusetts, March 2021.
- Record on file since 1991, with 18 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 0 lead and 0 unknown out of 201 service lines.
Check whether Hanscom AFB 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
110 | Oct 1, 2019 | Resolved | No |
Monitoring and reporting issues
Since October 2016Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.
| Issue | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2020 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
|
Consumer Confidence Rule
OTHER
|
Jul 1, 2017 | Resolved |
Full record since 1991
EPA's records for Hanscom AFB go back to 1991. Before October 19, 2016 they list 18 health-based violations (6 resolved, 12 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 3 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8 | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 | 1 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 10 | 2 |
| October 19, 2016 to 2019 | 1 | 1 |
| 2020s | 0 | 1 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Coliform, began August 2015, Archived.
Show all 18 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Aug 1, 2015 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Apr 1, 2015 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Nov 1, 2014 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 2014 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 2013 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Aug 1, 2013 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 2012 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 2012 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Aug 1, 2012 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 2012 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 1995 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 1994 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 1994 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Aug 1, 1992 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 1992 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 1, 1992 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
May 1, 1992 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Apr 1, 1991 | Archived |
Enforcement actions
Massachusetts regulators took 13 formal enforcement actions against Hanscom AFB and issued 1 boil water order between 1992 and 2021. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in March 2021.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2021 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) |
| Nov 15, 2019 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Revised Total Coliform Rule |
| Aug 16, 2017 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Consumer Confidence Rule |
| Sep 10, 2015 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| May 13, 2015 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Dec 15, 2014 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Oct 18, 2012 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Sep 17, 2012 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations (2 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Jul 16, 2012 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Jan 17, 2012 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Total Coliform |
| Jul 27, 2010 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Consumer Confidence Rule |
| Mar 29, 2005 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Total Coliform |
| Oct 29, 1992 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 4 violations (4 health-based): Total Coliform |
| May 21, 1992 | Massachusetts | Boil water order | 4 violations (4 health-based): Total Coliform |
What the violations mean
Revised Total Coliform Rule
1 incidentThe system did not meet a requirement of the Revised Total Coliform Rule
Coliform and E. coli rules protect against bacteria in the distribution system
Where the water comes from
Hanscom AFB buys its water from Bedford Water Dept., Lexington Water Dept. (MWRA) and MWRA. It lists no wells or intakes of its own. 1 other community water system buys water from Hanscom AFB.
Buys water from
- Bedford Water Dept. Bedford, MA
- Lexington Water Dept. (MWRA) Lexington, MA
- MWRA Chelsea, MA
Community systems that buy water from it
- Hanscom Family Housing (Landings) El Paso, TX
Annual water quality report
Hanscom AFB 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