Hamilton Water Department
EPA ID: MA3119000 · 7,377 people served · 2 ZIP codes
Hamilton Water Department's five-year compliance history is clean by every EPA metric — no health-based violations, no monitoring lapses, no enforcement actions on record, reflecting consistent performance for a utility that supplies water to approximately 7,377 residents year after year.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Hamilton Water Department Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Hamilton Water Department serves a community with a median household income of $127,137 and an estimated 7,646 residents across its service area. Approximately 86% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Hamilton 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 Essex 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 70th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites. Groundwater sources near contaminated sites may face elevated risk from industrial chemicals.
Infrastructure Risk
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). 1 exceeds state limits.
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
Hamilton Water Department (EPA ID: MA3119000) is a community water system in Massachusetts that serves approximately 7,377 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 2 ZIP codes across 2 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (58/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01936 | 0.0027 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: 1 ZIP code confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 1 additional ZIP inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Hamilton Water Department (MA3119000) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hamilton Water Department water safe to drink?
Based on EPA records, Hamilton Water Department has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.
How many people does Hamilton Water Department serve?
Hamilton Water Department serves approximately 7,377 people across 2 ZIP codes in Massachusetts.
Where does Hamilton 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 Hamilton Department of Public Works 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: Hamilton Department of Public Works Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
A Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) report for the water supply sources serving the Town was prepared by MassDEP in 2001. The DEP gave the town a susceptibility rating of 'high' based upon the information collected during the assessment. Key issues identified include inappropriate activities in Zone I, residential land use, manure storage or spreading, and storm water catch basins within Zone II.
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 Hamilton Department of Public Works 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: Above Current MCL
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). One or more PFAS compounds were measured above the current state-enforceable MCL.
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 Hamilton Department of Public Works.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. PFAS detection data is sourced from public Consumer Confidence Reports filed by the utility itself.
Preliminary results indicate little to no lead service lines in the system. The Town is working on confirming unknown service line materials.
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.
Hamilton Department of Public Works
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.
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 Hamilton Department of Public Works 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.
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).
-
monitoringDate not published
Tier 3 Notification Requirement – UCMR5 PFAS exceedances (various PFAS compounds above EPA lifetime health advisory levels)
-
MCL · Total TrihalomethanesDate not published
Quarter 3 Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) at Goodhue Street Testing site – 84 ppb exceeded MCL of 80 ppb.
-
MCL · CopperAugust 2023
Copper exceedance at a minimally used bathroom faucet at the public pool (tested high, retested below action level).
-
MCL · PFASDate not published
School Street Well had elevated PFAS levels in late 2021 and is offline due to PFAS exceeding 20 ppt MCL.
Violations record from Hamilton Department of Public Works 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.
- Well #1 (Idlewood I) and Well #2 (Idlewood II) redevelopment completed
- GAC filtration project at Gordon "Tiny" Thompson Water Filtration Plant completed; startup pending MassDEP approval
- Backflow preventer installed for Asbury Grove to prevent cross-connection contamination
- School Street Well taken offline due to PFAS exceedance
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
Hamilton Water Department (EPA ID: MA3119000) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.