Monitoring Violations MA

Sandwich Water District

EPA ID: MA4261000 · 23,000 people served · 4 ZIP codes

The EPA enforcement database lists 1 active violation for Sandwich Water District — a provider that delivers drinking water to approximately 23,000 people and has not yet formally resolved those findings.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

C · 61
Avg Safety Score
23,000
People Served
4
ZIP Codes Served
1
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.004 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 2
Radon Risk · Moderate
1
Contaminants Flagged
$564K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Sandwich Water District Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary — Grade C

Service Area Demographics

$124,354
Median Household Income
24,117
Service Area Population
5%
Disadvantaged Population
30th
Poverty Percentile
70th
Energy Burden Percentile
62%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Sandwich Water District serves a community with a median household income of $124,354 and an estimated 24,117 residents across its service area. Approximately 62% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Sandwich Water District'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.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
0th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
50th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 1% of homes in Barnstable County, Massachusetts rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.

Infrastructure Risk

38 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
32 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 54% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Sandwich Water District compares to EPA limits

What This Means For You

Consumer Confidence Report 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. 4 detections recorded.

State limits: PFAS6: 0.02 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 →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Massachusetts

C 0 violations
Easton Water Div
23,112 people
C 0 violations
B 0 violations
Mansfield Water Division
23,289 people
B 1 violation
Bourne Water District
22,500 people
C 0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation PFAS Treatment
Flood Insurance $1,350
Radon Mitigation $400
PFAS Treatment $250
Total Estimated Cost $2,000

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:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

PFAS Exposure — Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$2,665
10 years
$5,330
20 years
$10,660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,000 (one-time) vs. $5,330 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

Sandwich Water District (EPA ID: MA4261000) is a community water system in Massachusetts that serves approximately 23,000 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 4 ZIP codes across 4 communities.

Average Home Safety Score: C (61/100)

Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.

Violation History

1 monitoring/reporting violation recorded. These are procedural violations (missed tests or late reports), not necessarily water safety issues.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
April 1, 2025 Consumer Confidence Report Rule Monitoring Unresolved

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting 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
02563 0.004 mg/L No N/A

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 2 (Moderate 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 Filter

Free 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 Sandwich Water District (MA4261000) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sandwich Water District water safe to drink?

Sandwich Water District has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.

How many people does Sandwich Water District serve?

Sandwich Water District serves approximately 23,000 people across 4 ZIP codes in Massachusetts.

Where does Sandwich Water District 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.

Phone
508-888-2775
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.
Address
72 Tupper Road, P.O. Box 600, Sandwich, MA 02563-0600

Contact information from Sandwich Water District 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
Groundwater
Drawn from underground aquifers via wells.
Disinfectant used
Chlorine
Treatment chemicals reported
Sodium HydroxideSodium HypochloriteSodium HexametaphosphateZinc Orthophosphate

Source: Sandwich Water District Consumer Confidence Report.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.

Treatment regime

How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.

Treatment classification
Advanced
Advanced treatment that may include ozonation, ultraviolet disinfection, activated-carbon filtration, or membrane filtration. Used when source water has elevated contamination risk or to remove disinfection byproducts.

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.

Disinfectant
Inactivates bacteria, viruses, and parasites in the treated water.
Sodium Hypochlorite
pH adjustment
Raises or lowers water acidity to protect pipes and improve treatment performance.
Sodium Hydroxide
Corrosion inhibitor
Coats pipe interiors to reduce lead and copper leaching from premise plumbing.
Zinc Orthophosphate
Other reported chemicals
Reported by the utility but not in our annotation dictionary.
Sodium Hexametaphosphate

Watershed exposure sources reported

Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.

Massachusetts Military Reservation activities

Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Sandwich Water District 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.

Samples collected
580

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 →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

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.

Substance Detected level EPA limit Status
PFAS6
Not yet EPA-regulated
Not disclosed No federal limit set

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 Sandwich Water District.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. PFAS detection data is sourced from public Consumer Confidence Reports filed by the utility itself.

Learn more about PFAS health effects and filtration →

Lead Service Line Inventory

Utility-reported lead service line presence and tap-sample lead level under federal LCRI requirements:

None reported
Lead Service Lines Reported
0.0018 mg/L
Tap Sample Lead Level

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.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Did not report any required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2025-01-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Population served: 23,000
Reported to Massachusetts

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.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

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.

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.

Notable events from Sandwich Water District Consumer Confidence Report:
  • Well 9 taken offline August 2021 due to PFAS detection; GAC filtration installed October 2023, post-treatment results show ND for PFAS
  • Wells 2 and 3 taken offline November 2021 due to PFAS; status not specified

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

Is water from Sandwich Water District safe to drink?
Sandwich Water District has a C safety grade based on 1 recorded violation. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits — independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in Sandwich Water District's water?
Detected contaminants include Consumer Confidence Report Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 1 contaminant above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does Sandwich Water District serve?
Sandwich Water District serves approximately 23,000 people with drinking water across 4 ZIP codes.
What is Sandwich Water District's water source?
Sandwich Water District draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Sandwich Water District's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.004 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Sandwich Water District's service area?
The Sandwich Water District service area has a median household income of $124,354. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Sandwich Water District get its water?
Sandwich Water District'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 violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is currently elevated.

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →

3

Contact your utility

Sandwich Water District (EPA ID: MA4261000) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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