Public water system record
Canton Water Dept
Serves an area of Norfolk County, MA · 22,453 people served
Federal records show no health-based violations and 1 monitoring/reporting issue for Canton Water Dept in the last ten years. At least one of these issues remains unresolved.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 0
- Resolved
- 0
- Unresolved
- 0
- Any acute record
- No
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 1
Key facts
- Canton Water Dept draws water from 8 wells.
- Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by Massachusetts, January 2025.
- Record on file since 1989, with 11 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 1 lead and 3,386 unknown out of 7,661 service lines.
Check whether Canton Water Dept 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
|
Jul 1, 2024 |
Active
Enforcement action in place
|
Full record since 1989
EPA's records for Canton Water Dept go back to 1989. Before October 19, 2016 they list 11 health-based violations (7 resolved, 4 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 8 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 | 6 |
| 1990s | 2 | 2 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 9 | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 | 1 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Coliform, began August 2013, Resolved.
Show all 11 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Aug 1, 2013 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Nov 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
|
Jun 1, 2012 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 2011 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 2011 | Archived |
|
DICHLOROMETHANE
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 24.3 µg/L, federal limit 5 µg/L (4.9 times the limit)
|
Jan 1, 2011 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Apr 1, 1993 | Archived |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jan 1, 1992 | Archived |
Enforcement actions
Massachusetts regulators took 7 formal enforcement actions against Canton Water Dept between 1993 and 2025. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in January 2025.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 9, 2025 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Lead and Copper Rule |
| Nov 30, 2012 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 4 violations (4 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Aug 31, 2012 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Sep 27, 2011 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations (2 health-based): Total Coliform |
| May 25, 2011 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): DICHLOROMETHANE |
| May 18, 1998 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Nitrate |
| Jun 29, 1993 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Surface Water Treatment Rule |
Where the water comes from
Canton Water Dept draws water from 8 wells. It also buys water from MWRA and Milton Water Dept. (MWRA). 1 other community water system buys water from Canton Water Dept.
Buys water from
- MWRA Chelsea, MA
- Milton Water Dept. (MWRA) Milton, MA
Community systems that buy water from it
- Stoughton Water Department Stoughton, MA
Annual water quality report
Canton 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