Updated: January 2023

Author: Division of Environmental Health, Vermont Department of Health

Public community water systems are water systems that serve at least 15 connections or 25 people. All water systems that fit this designation are tested for bacterial, chemical and radiological contaminants on a regular basis. Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is authorized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to administer the Public Water Supply System program in the state. DEC’s Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division implements the program. The Division’s primary goal is to ensure that citizens and visitors of the Green Mountain State have drinking water that is safe for human consumption.

On April 1st, 2016, the EPA's Revised Total Coliform Rule went into effect. Under the revised rule there is no longer a Maximum Contaminant Limit for Total Coliform. This change contributed to an increase in the percent of public water systems that are in compliance and as a result the percentage of the population served by water systems that are in compliance also increased.

This indicator is part of Healthy Vermonters 2020 which documents the health status of Vermonters at the start of the decade and the population health indicators and goals that will guide the work of public health through 2020.

The Vermont Department of Health does not regulate public water supplies, but we monitor drinking water testing and use results to assist Vermonters with health-related questions they have about the quality of their drinking water. The state toxicologist assists with health effects language when the Division of Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection requires public notification due to chemical contamination detected during monitoring.

The Health Department's risk assessment team calculates or derives health-based chemical advisory concentrations when the U.S. EPA does not have a federal maximum contaminant level (MCL). The Health Department's senior environmental health engineer for drinking water maintains strong relationships with the Department of Environmental Conservation staff who regulate public water suppliers as part of her effort to assist Vermonters with their drinking water quality questions.

The state reports violation and enforcement information to EPA quarterly. The state also prepares an annual water quality compliance reports, which include the information on the size of the population served by systems with violations. The most recent Water Quality Annual Compliance Reports can be found on the Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection website.

“Right-to-know” provisions (e.g. Consumer Confidence Reports for community public water systems) give citizens the information they need to make their own health decisions, allow increased participation in drinking water decision-making, and promote accountability at the water system, state, and federal levels.

Data is updated as it becomes available and timing may vary by data source.

Data is provided by the Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Drinking Water & Groundwater Protection Division, Compliance & Support Services Section.