Milford Water Department
EPA ID: DE0000616 · 9,800 people served · 6 ZIP codes
Although 3 violations appeared on Milford Water Department's record, all have been remedied — currently compliant, 9,800 served.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Stable · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 1 (2022) to 1 (2024). Violation counts have remained relatively steady.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Milford Water Department Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade B
Service Area Demographics
The Milford Water Department serves a community with a median household income of $70,950 and an estimated 57,852 residents across its service area. Approximately 43% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Milford Water Department'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.
About 0% of homes in Kent County, Delaware rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 65th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites. Groundwater sources near contaminated sites may face elevated risk from industrial chemicals.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Milford Water Department compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Stage 1 DBP Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Lead and Copper Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Delaware
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
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.
System Overview
MILFORD WATER DEPARTMENT (EPA ID: DE0000616) is a community water system in Delaware that serves approximately 9,800 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 6 ZIP codes across 6 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: B (81/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 10, 2024 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| May 13, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| May 1, 2024 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Health-based | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 1 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 1 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 1 | Yes |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
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 $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — 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 Milford Water Department (DE0000616) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Milford Water Department water safe to drink?
Milford Water Department has recorded 1 health-based violation in the past 5 years. While the system is required to treat water to meet federal standards, you may want to consider additional precautions such as a certified water filter.
How many people does Milford Water Department serve?
Milford Water Department serves approximately 9,800 people across 6 ZIP codes in Delaware.
Where does Milford Water Department get its water?
The primary water source is groundwater.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from Milford Water Department Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: Milford Water Department Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
Exceedingly susceptible for pathogens, metals and other inorganic compounds. High susceptibility for nutrients, petroleum hydrocarbons, pesticides, PCBs and other organic compounds.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Milford Water Department Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.
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.
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) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.
Aesthetic water quality
These measurements describe the look, taste, and feel of the water this utility delivers. They are not contaminant violations — they sit alongside federal Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs) which the EPA publishes as non-enforceable guidance.
Aesthetic measurements from Milford Water Department Consumer Confidence Report.
Aesthetic measurements are reported by the utility from its annual sampling. EPA Secondary MCLs are advisory thresholds — values outside them indicate aesthetic concerns such as taste or appearance, not health violations. Federal contaminant testing is shown in the sections above.
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
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
Milford Water Department (EPA ID: DE0000616) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.