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Public water system record

Reading Water Department (MWRA)

Serves Reading, Middlesex County, MA · 27,358 people served

Federal records show 1 health-based violation and 1 monitoring/reporting issue for Reading Water Department (MWRA) in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a Revised Total Coliform Rule violation that EPA lists as archived, not resolved.

  • MA3246000
  • READING
  • MA
  • 27,358 served

System profile

Source water Purchased surface water
ZIP 01867
EPA system ID MA3246000

Verify this system on EPA ECHO →

Health-based violations, last 10 years
1
Resolved
0
Unresolved
0
Archived by EPA
1
Any acute record
Yes
Monitoring issues, last 10 years
1

Key facts

  • Reading Water Department (MWRA) buys its water from MWRA.
  • Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by Massachusetts, December 2023.
  • Record on file since 1995, with 0 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
  • Lead pipe inventory: 154 lead and 216 unknown out of 7,761 service lines.

Check whether Reading Water Department (MWRA) serves your address

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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
Revised Total Coliform Rule
Contaminant limit exceeded
 110 Oct 1, 2019 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
 Yes

Monitoring and reporting issues

Since October 2016

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

Issue Start date Status
Nitrite
Monitoring and reporting
 Jun 1, 2023 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.

Full record since 1995

EPA's records for Reading Water Department (MWRA) go back to 1995. Before October 19, 2016 they list no health-based violations and 1 monitoring or reporting violation.

Violations that began in Health-based Monitoring and reporting
1990s 0 1
October 19, 2016 to 2019 1 0
2020s 0 1

Enforcement actions

Massachusetts regulators took 2 formal enforcement actions against Reading Water Department (MWRA) between 2019 and 2023. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in December 2023.

Date By Action Violations covered
Dec 18, 2023 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation: Nitrite
Nov 2, 2019 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Revised Total Coliform Rule

What the violations mean

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

Reading Water Department (MWRA) buys its water from MWRA. EPA also lists 9 wells, all for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use.

Buys water from

Annual water quality report

Reading Water Department (MWRA) 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