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Public water system record

Scituate Water Division

Serves Scituate and North Scituate, Plymouth County, MA · 19,297 people served

Federal records show 3 health-based violations and 14 monitoring/reporting issues for Scituate Water Division 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.

  • MA4264000
  • SCITUATE
  • MA
  • 19,297 served

System profile

Source water Surface water
ZIP 02066
EPA system ID MA4264000

Verify this system on EPA ECHO →

Health-based violations, last 10 years
3
Resolved
0
Unresolved
0
Archived by EPA
3
Any acute record
Yes
Monitoring issues, last 10 years
14

Key facts

  • Scituate Water Division draws water from 8 wells and 1 surface water intake (2 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use).
  • Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by Massachusetts, April 2024.
  • Record on file since 1995, with 6 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
  • Lead pipe inventory: 0 lead and 4,463 unknown out of 8,494 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, 2021 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 Jul 1, 2020 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
 No
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 120 Sep 1, 2018 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
Antimony, Total
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
Chromium (total)
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
Cadmium
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
Barium
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
Selenium
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
Mercury
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
Arsenic
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
Fluoride
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
Nitrite
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
CYANIDE
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
Thallium, Total
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
Nickel
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
Beryllium, Total
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2024 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
Consumer Confidence Rule
OTHER
 Jul 1, 2023 Resolved

Full record since 1995

EPA's records for Scituate Water Division go back to 1995. Before October 19, 2016 they list 6 health-based violations (4 resolved, 2 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 25 monitoring or reporting violations.

Violations that began in Health-based Monitoring and reporting
1990s 2 21
2000s 2 4
2010 to October 18, 2016 2 0
October 19, 2016 to 2019 1 0
2020s 2 14

Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Coliform, began August 2015, Resolved.

Show all 6 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
Contaminant Start date Status
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Aug 1, 2015 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Jul 1, 2015 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Oct 1, 2005 Archived
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Jul 1, 2004 Archived
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Jan 1, 1996 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Aug 1, 1995 Resolved

Enforcement actions

Massachusetts regulators took 10 formal enforcement actions against Scituate Water Division between 1997 and 2024. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in April 2024.

Date By Action Violations covered
Apr 24, 2024 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 13 violations: Antimony, Total, Beryllium, Total, Nickel, Thallium, Total, CYANIDE
Aug 17, 2023 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation: Consumer Confidence Rule
Sep 21, 2021 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Aug 26, 2020 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Oct 8, 2019 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Feb 27, 2009 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation: Total Coliform
Jun 30, 2006 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 3 violations (1 health-based): Total Coliform
Oct 18, 2004 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 2 violations (1 health-based): Total Coliform
Feb 17, 1998 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Lead and Copper Rule
Mar 7, 1997 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 21 violations: cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Xylenes, Total, DICHLOROMETHANE, o-Dichlorobenzene, p-Dichlorobenzene

What the violations mean

Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

2 incidents

Disinfection byproduct levels exceeded the federal limit

Long-term TTHM exposure may increase bladder cancer risk

Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule

1 incident

The 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

Scituate Water Division draws water from 8 wells and 1 surface water intake (2 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use). It also buys water from Marshfield Water Department.

Buys water from

Annual water quality report

Scituate Water Division 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