Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
EPA ID: MD0150005 · 1,900,000 people served · 90 ZIP codes
The EPA enforcement database lists 3 active violations for Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission — a provider that delivers drinking water to approximately 1,900,000 people and has not yet formally resolved those findings.
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 7 (2023) to 21 (2024). Violation counts have remained relatively steady.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission serves a community with a median household income of $122,683 and an estimated 2,129,938 residents across its service area. Approximately 61% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.
About 1% of homes in Charles County, Maryland rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Stage 2 DBP Rule at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Contaminant 0700 at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
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.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 169 detections recorded. 2 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 1 exceeds state limits.
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
WASHINGTON SUBURBAN SANITARY COMMISSION (EPA ID: MD0150005) is a community water system in Maryland that serves approximately 1,900,000 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 90 ZIP codes across 53 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (55/100)
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 2, 2025 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Health-based | Resolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 1, 2023 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 17, 2023 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| June 17, 2023 | Contaminant 0700 | Health-based | Resolved |
| June 16, 2023 | Contaminant 0700 | Health-based | Resolved |
| June 16, 2023 | Contaminant 0700 | Monitoring | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 3 | Yes |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other Violation | 3 | Yes |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 1 | No |
| Lead and Copper 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20854 | 0.034 mg/L | Yes | N/A |
| 20814 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20816 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20817 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20889 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20892 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20894 | 0.0044 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20601 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20721 | 0.0017 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20613 | 0.0015 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20871 | 0.0013 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20707 | 0.00105 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20708 | 0.00105 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20709 | 0.00105 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20725 | 0.00105 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 20726 | 0.00105 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: 81 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 9 additional ZIPs inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
This system serves 90 ZIP codes:
20601 · 20607 · 20613 · 20623 · 20704 20705 · 20706 · 20707 · 20708 · 20709 20710 · 20712 · 20715 · 20716 · 20720 20721 · 20722 · 20723 · 20724 · 20725 20726 · 20735 · 20737 · 20740 · 20742 20743 · 20744 · 20745 · 20746 · 20747 20748 · 20759 · 20762 · 20763 · 20768 20769 · 20770 · 20771 · 20772 · 20774 20781 · 20782 · 20783 · 20784 · 20785 20812 · 20814 · 20815 · 20816 · 20817 20818 · 20832 · 20833 · 20841 · 20850 20851 · 20852 · 20853 · 20854 · 20855 20860 · 20861 · 20862 · 20866 · 20868 20871 · 20872 · 20874 · 20876 · 20877 20878 · 20879 · 20880 · 20882 · 20886 20889 · 20892 · 20894 · 20895 · 20896 20899 · 20901 · 20902 · 20903 · 20904 20905 · 20906 · 20910 · 20912 · 21771
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (MD0150005) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission water safe to drink?
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission has recorded 3 health-based violations 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 Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission serve?
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission serves approximately 1,900,000 people across 90 ZIP codes in Maryland.
Where does Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below 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 →
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.
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
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (EPA ID: MD0150005) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.