Public water system record
Falmouth Water Dept
Serves an area of Barnstable County, MA that includes East Falmouth, North Falmouth, West Falmouth and 3 more places · 97,551 people served
Federal records show 1 health-based violation and 1 monitoring/reporting issue for Falmouth Water Dept in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a resolved Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule violation.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 1
- Resolved
- 1
- Unresolved
- 0
- Any acute record
- Yes
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 1
Key facts
- Falmouth Water Dept draws water from 4 wells and 1 surface water intake.
- Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by Massachusetts, December 2020.
- Record on file since 1991, with 11 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 5 lead and 14,298 unknown out of 22,531 service lines.
Check whether Falmouth 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.
| Contaminant | Rule family | Start date | Status | Acute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
120 | Aug 1, 2020 | Resolved | Yes |
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
|
Oct 1, 2020 | Resolved |
Full record since 1991
EPA's records for Falmouth Water Dept go back to 1991. Before October 19, 2016 they list 11 health-based violations (4 resolved, 7 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 7 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3 | 4 |
| 2000s | 1 | 0 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 7 | 3 |
| 2020s | 1 | 1 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), began July 2016, Archived.
Show all 11 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 2016 | Archived |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Apr 1, 2016 | Archived |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jan 1, 2016 | Archived |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 2015 | Archived |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 2013 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 1, 2010 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 1, 2010 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jul 1, 2004 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 1997 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Aug 1, 1997 | Archived |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jan 1, 1996 | Resolved |
Enforcement actions
Massachusetts regulators took 8 formal enforcement actions against Falmouth Water Dept between 1995 and 2020, filed as 9 records in EPA's data. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in December 2020.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 15, 2020 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule |
| Nov 25, 2020 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Lead and Copper Rule |
| Aug 27, 2014 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 5 violations (5 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
| Jun 16, 2010 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 4 violations (2 health-based): Total Coliform, Public Notice |
| Mar 31, 2005 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Lead and Copper Rule |
| Jan 1, 1998 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Lead and Copper Rule |
| Nov 12, 1997 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 4 violations (2 health-based): Total Coliform |
| Jul 28, 1995 | Massachusetts | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation: Total Coliform |
What the violations mean
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
1 incidentThe system did not meet a filtration or treatment requirement for surface water
Inadequate treatment of surface water can let pathogens such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia through
Where the water comes from
Falmouth Water Dept draws water from 4 wells and 1 surface water intake. It also buys water from Mashpee Water District and Upper Cape Regional Water Cooperative.
Buys water from
- Mashpee Water District Mashpee, MA
- Upper Cape Regional Water Cooperative Sandwich, MA
Annual water quality report
Falmouth 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