Water System Report DE

Sussex Shores Water Company

EPA ID: DE0000557 ยท 12,450 people served ยท 1 ZIP code

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Sussex Shores Water Company (DE0000557): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Five years of EPA monitoring have produced no violations for Sussex Shores Water Company - the supplier serving 12,450 residents has kept every contaminant level within federal limits, a result that places it among the top-performing utilities for systems with a service population of comparable size.

Data: EPA SDWIS

12,450
People Served
1
ZIP Code Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.0069 mg/L
Max Lead Level
0
Contaminants Flagged
$798K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Sussex Shores Water Company Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary

Service Area Demographics

$118,092
Median Household Income
2,873
Service Area Population
8%
Disadvantaged Population
50th
Poverty Percentile
70th
Energy Burden Percentile
41%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Sussex Shores Water Company serves a community with a median household income of $118,092 and an estimated 2,873 residents across its service area. Approximately 41% 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

Sussex Shores Water Company'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
40th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
50th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

46 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
24 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 66% 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. 1 detection recorded. 1 exceeds 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

B 0 violations
Smyrna Water Department
11,813 people
B 0 violations
Dover Air Force Base
11,000 people
A 0 violations
Long Neck Water Company
11,000 people
B 0 violations
A 0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment
Flood Insurance $1,200
PFAS Treatment $600
Total Estimated Cost $1,800

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 $1,800 (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

Sussex Shores Water Company (EPA ID: DE0000557) is a community water system in Delaware that serves approximately 12,450 people from groundwater sources.

This system serves ZIP code 19930 in Bethany Beach.

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
0.0069 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.

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 Sussex Shores Water Company (DE0000557) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sussex Shores Water Company water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Sussex Shores Water Company 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 Sussex Shores Water Company serve?

Sussex Shores Water Company serves approximately 12,450 people across 1 ZIP code in Delaware.

Where does Sussex Shores Water Company 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
116

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†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use a water filter?
Sussex Shores Water Company meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Sussex Shores Water Company serve?
Sussex Shores Water Company serves approximately 12,450 people with drinking water across 1 ZIP code.
What is Sussex Shores Water Company's water source?
Sussex Shores Water Company draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Sussex Shores Water Company's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.0069 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Sussex Shores Water Company's service area?
The Sussex Shores Water Company service area has a median household income of $118,092. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Sussex Shores Water Company get its water?
Sussex Shores Water Company'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.). Sussex Shores Water Company, DE: Serves 12K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/de0000557/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-de0000557,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Sussex Shores Water Company, DE: Serves 12K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/de0000557/}
}
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