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Public water system record

North Reading Water Dept.

Serves an area of Middlesex County, MA · 16,379 people served

Federal records show 4 health-based violations and 1 monitoring/reporting issue for North Reading Water Dept. in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) violation that EPA lists as archived, not resolved.

  • MA3213000
  • NORTH READING
  • MA
  • 16,379 served

System profile

Source water Purchased surface water
ZIP 01864
EPA system ID MA3213000

Verify this system on EPA ECHO →

Health-based violations, last 10 years
4
Resolved
2
Unresolved
0
Archived by EPA
2
Any acute record
No
Monitoring issues, last 10 years
1

Key facts

  • North Reading Water Dept. buys its water from Andover Water Dept.
  • Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by Massachusetts, October 2020.
  • Record on file since 1980, with 5 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
  • Lead pipe inventory: 0 lead and 0 unknown out of 4,891 service lines.

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Health-based violations

Since October 2016

Violation 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 Jul 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 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 Resolved No
Revised Total Coliform Rule
Treatment technique failure
 110 Aug 1, 2019 Resolved No

Monitoring and reporting issues

Since October 2016

Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.

Issue Start date Status
Revised Total Coliform Rule
RPT
 Aug 1, 2019 Active
Enforcement action in place

Full record since 1980

EPA's records for North Reading Water Dept. go back to 1980. Before October 19, 2016 they list 5 health-based violations (2 resolved, 3 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 43 monitoring or reporting violations.

Violations that began in Health-based Monitoring and reporting
1980s 0 1
1990s 3 6
2000s 0 33
2010 to October 18, 2016 2 3
October 19, 2016 to 2019 1 1
2020s 3 0

Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), began April 2014, Archived.

Show all 5 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
Contaminant Start date Status
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Apr 1, 2014 Archived
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Sep 1, 2013 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Nov 1, 1995 Archived
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Jul 1, 1993 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Jul 1, 1991 Archived

Enforcement actions

Massachusetts regulators took 6 formal enforcement actions against North Reading Water Dept. between 1997 and 2020. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in October 2020.

Date By Action Violations covered
Oct 14, 2020 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 3 violations (3 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Sep 27, 2019 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 2 violations (1 health-based): Revised Total Coliform Rule
Nov 6, 2014 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 2 violations: Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U, Radium-226
Oct 26, 2007 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 32 violations: Endothall, Glyphosate, HEXACHLOROBENZENE, Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Simazine
Oct 23, 2006 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation: Lead and Copper Rule
Aug 27, 1997 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 5 violations: Gross Beta Particle Activity, Tritium, Radium-226, 38-STRONTIUM-90, Radium-228

What the violations mean

Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

3 incidents

Disinfection byproduct levels exceeded the federal limit

Long-term TTHM exposure may increase bladder cancer risk

Revised Total Coliform Rule

1 incident

The 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

North Reading Water Dept. buys its water from Andover Water Dept. EPA also lists 7 wells, all for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use.

Buys water from

Annual water quality report

North Reading 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.

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