Water System Report DE

Garrison Lake Pump District

EPA ID: DE0000004 ยท 17,148 people served ยท 5 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Garrison Lake Pump District (DE0000004): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Even as other utilities in the region logged violations, Garrison Lake Pump District kept a clean EPA record - five years, no issues, 17,148 people served.

Data: EPA SDWIS

A ยท 100
Avg Safety Score
17,148
People Served
5
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.00081 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 3
Radon Risk ยท Low
0
Contaminants Flagged
$281K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Garrison Lake Pump District Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade A

Service Area Demographics

$66,885
Median Household Income
114,481
Service Area Population
28%
Disadvantaged Population
50th
Poverty Percentile
60th
Energy Burden Percentile
46%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Garrison Lake Pump District serves a community with a median household income of $66,885 and an estimated 114,481 residents across its service area. Approximately 46% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Garrison Lake Pump District's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
10th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
80th
Superfund Site Proximity

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 80th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites. Groundwater sources near contaminated sites may face elevated risk from industrial chemicals.

Infrastructure Risk

38 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
31 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 55% of expected lifespan used End of life

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 5 detections recorded. 2 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).

State limits: PFOA: 0.05 ppt, PFOS: 0.05 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Delaware

Camden Pump District
17,208 people
A 0 violations
0 violations
B 0 violations
0 violations
B 0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Water Filtration PFAS Treatment
Flood Insurance $1,200
Water Filtration $120
PFAS Treatment $120
Total Estimated Cost $1,440

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $1,440 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Garrison Lake Pump District (EPA ID: DE0000004) is a community water system in Delaware that serves approximately 17,148 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 5 ZIP codes across 4 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: A (100/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 1 of 5 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No accepted violation records in the 2021-2026 window - The accepted EPA ECHO 2026Q2 snapshot contains zero violation records for this system whose record year falls from 2021 through 2026, inclusive. This is not a tap-water safety guarantee.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.00081 mg/L No N/A

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 3 (Low Risk)

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking โ€” this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by DE or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Garrison Lake Pump District (DE0000004) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Garrison Lake Pump District water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Garrison Lake Pump District in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.

How many people does Garrison Lake Pump District serve?

Garrison Lake Pump District serves approximately 17,148 people across 5 ZIP codes in Delaware.

Where does Garrison Lake Pump District get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.

Samples collected
174

Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

How Water Systems Appear in Rankings

Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Garrison Lake Pump District safe to drink?
Garrison Lake Pump District earns a A safety grade with 0 violations in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
Should I use a water filter?
Garrison Lake Pump District meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Garrison Lake Pump District serve?
Garrison Lake Pump District serves approximately 17,148 people with drinking water across 5 ZIP codes.
What is Garrison Lake Pump District's water source?
Garrison Lake Pump District draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Garrison Lake Pump District's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.00081 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Garrison Lake Pump District's service area?
The Garrison Lake Pump District service area has a median household income of $66,885. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Garrison Lake Pump District get its water?
Garrison Lake Pump District's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Garrison Lake Pump District, DE: Serves 17K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/de0000004/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-de0000004,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Garrison Lake Pump District, DE: Serves 17K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/de0000004/}
}
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