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 records for Sussex Shores Water Company (DE0000557): no drinking-water violations recorded since 2021. EPA lists no violations for Sussex Shores Water Company, serving 12,450 people.

Data: EPA SDWIS

12,450
People Served
1
ZIP Code Served
0
Violations (since 2021)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.0069 mg/L
Most recent lead 90th percentile on record (monitoring period ending 2025-12-31)
0
Contaminants Flagged
$798K
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$118,092
Median Household Income
2,873
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
8%
Disadvantaged Population
50th
Poverty Percentile
70th
Energy Burden Percentile
41%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with Sussex Shores Water Company have a median household income of $118,092 and about 2,873 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). 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 classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. 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
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
Copper
Likely pipe material (modeled)
24 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 66% of expected lifespan used (estimate) End of life

PFAS in ZIP Codes This System Serves

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been reported in samples from water systems associated with the ZIP codes in this system's area. These results can come from other water systems serving the same ZIP codes; check the UCMR5 section for any results reported for this system. 1 detection recorded. 1 detection is above the level of a federal PFAS MCL (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS), with compliance required from 2029.

State PFAS values in our reference data (state notification level (not a limit)); check current state rules: PFOA: 4 ppt, PFOS: 4 ppt, PFHxS: 10 ppt, PFNA: 10 ppt, HFPO-DA: 10 ppt
Health concern: Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with some cancers and with immune and developmental effects; effects differ by compound. Many PFAS break down very slowly in the environment.
Recommended filter: An activated carbon filter certified under NSF/ANSI 53 or a reverse osmosis system certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for the PFAS listed in its certification. 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

PFAS Treatment
PFAS Treatment $500
Total Estimated Cost $500

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

Illustrative per-household cost scenario based on stated assumptions:

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 $500 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These estimates are 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 2025-12-31

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: Ask your water utility whether running cold water for 2 minutes is enough to flush your plumbing before drinking.

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 available EPA compliance records 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: No PFAS Reported Above Reporting Levels

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were reported above UCMR5 minimum reporting levels.

Samples collected
116

EPA's April 2024 PFAS rule sets MCLs of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX); water systems must comply from 2029. Other PFAS compounds have no individual federal MCL. A state standard is shown only where this system's state has its own enforceable PFAS limit. Detection results are EPA UCMR5 samples, not a measurement at your tap.

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? ▼
No EPA drinking-water violations since 2021 are on record for Sussex Shores Water Company; this page does not establish contaminant levels at your tap. That is a compliance record, not a guarantee about the water at your tap; a certified filter can target a specific contaminant you are concerned about.
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 most recent 90th-percentile lead result on record is 0.0069 mg/L (sample period ending 2025-12-31). This is at or below the EPA lead action level, which triggers system action and is not a safe level; the EPA health goal for lead is zero.
What is the demographic profile of the ZIP codes associated with Sussex Shores Water Company? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to Sussex Shores Water Company have a median household income of $118,092 (Census ZIP-code estimate). 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 classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. 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 the available data, the modeled source-contamination category is moderate; test local water to assess actual exposure.

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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