Littleton Water Department
EPA ID: MA2158000 · 9,611 people served · 2 ZIP codes
Within the five-year EPA monitoring span, Littleton Water Department accumulated 1 violation — every finding has been resolved and the utility operates in full compliance today, supplying water to approximately 9,611 people without any active enforcement proceedings.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Littleton Water Department Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade B
Service Area Demographics
The Littleton Water Department serves a community with a median household income of $163,887 and an estimated 34,734 residents across its service area. Approximately 55% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Littleton 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 1% of homes in Middlesex County, Massachusetts 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 80th 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 Littleton 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.
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).
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Massachusetts
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
Littleton Water Department (EPA ID: MA2158000) is a community water system in Massachusetts that serves approximately 9,611 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 2 ZIP codes across 2 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: B (70/100)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2023 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | 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 & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01460 | 0.0011 mg/L | No | N/A |
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
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 MA 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 Littleton Water Department (MA2158000) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Littleton Water Department water safe to drink?
Littleton Water Department has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.
How many people does Littleton Water Department serve?
Littleton Water Department serves approximately 9,611 people across 2 ZIP codes in Massachusetts.
Where does Littleton 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 Littleton Electric Light and Water Departments (LELWD) 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: Littleton Electric Light and Water Departments (LELWD) Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has assigned a susceptibility ranking of high to this system, indicating a potential for contamination due to land uses and activities within its recharge area. The Town of Littleton has a comprehensive source water protection program, including land-use planning, environmental audits, and groundwater monitoring, to minimize contamination risks.
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 Littleton Electric Light and Water Departments (LELWD) 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 →
PFAS Substances Detected in This System
This water system's Consumer Confidence Report disclosed the following PFAS compounds. Levels are from the utility's most recent reporting cycle.
In April 2024, EPA finalized the first National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS. Public water systems have until 2029 to comply. EPA — PFAS regulation overview →
Source: Consumer Confidence Report disclosed by Littleton Electric Light and Water Departments (LELWD).
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. PFAS detection data is sourced from public Consumer Confidence Reports filed by the utility itself.
The utility is conducting a service line inventory inspection to identify and remove lead service lines, as required by the 2023 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements.
Lead Service Line Replacement Tracker
This water utility's lead service line (LSL) replacement program is tracked from public Consumer Confidence Report filings. Email signup notifies subscribers when the utility files an updated replacement plan or progress milestone.
Littleton Electric Light and Water Departments (LELWD)
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. LSL replacement-program data is sourced from public CCR filings published by the utility. Subscription notifications are based on automated parsing of subsequent CCR releases.
Learn more about Lead and Copper Rule replacement requirements →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Utility-reported lead service line presence and tap-sample lead level under federal LCRI requirements:
Below federal action level (0.015 mg/L)
MassDEP reports utility-level presence flag and tap-sampling without per-line breakdown. Customers should inquire with the utility about service line material at a specific address.
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: MassDEP LCRR Service Line Inventory · Submitted 2024
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.
Notable events and violations
This section summarizes events the utility chose to disclose in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report, plus any federal compliance violations the utility recorded against itself. Both lists are utility-authored — ZipCheckup does not audit, judge, or reorder them.
Federal compliance violations on record
These entries are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR violations section. EPA defines four broad violation categories: Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), Treatment Technique (TT), Monitoring & Reporting (M&R), and Public Notification (PN).
-
monitoring · Lead and CopperSpring 2023
The utility did not complete all required monitoring for lead and copper during the Spring 2023 period, resulting in a violation. This was resolved with additional sampling in July 2023.
Violations record from Littleton Electric Light and Water Departments (LELWD) Consumer Confidence Report.
Notable events from the utility's CCR
These bullet entries are the utility's own narration of operational, regulatory, or infrastructure events during the reporting period.
- A Level 1 Assessment was conducted in August 2023 due to total coliform detections at 80 Central Street. The issue was resolved by increasing tank chlorination and prioritizing flushing in that area.
- The new Whitcomb Ave Water Treatment Plant began operation in 2023, treating water from the Whitcomb Ave Wells and PFAS-contaminated Spectacle Pond Well to produce PFAS-free drinking water.
ZipCheckup note: items above reflect what the utility published in its most recent CCR. Federal violation records are also tracked separately by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) — the SDWIS record is the authoritative federal source for any specific regulatory action.
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
Littleton Water Department (EPA ID: MA2158000) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.