waterbycounty
EPA SDWIS

Bristol County Water Quality

Bristol County, Massachusetts

Water Grade

C

Water Score

60.4

Violations

39

State Rank

#13

of 14 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

C

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

60.4/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

39

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

6.2%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Bristol County

Water Verdict

Bristol County receives a fair water quality assessment with a grade of C and a score of 60.4 out of 100. The water supply meets baseline federal standards, but there may be periods of elevated contaminant levels or infrastructure concerns worth monitoring.

Violation Context

Bristol County has recorded 39 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 6.2 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is moderate and suggests recurring water quality challenges.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Bristol County meets baseline standards, but residents who are immunocompromised or have young children may want to use an NSF-certified water filter as a precaution. With 39 recorded health violations, staying informed about utility communications and boil-water notices is especially important. For long-term peace of mind, request your utility's latest Consumer Confidence Report and consider independent water testing if you have specific health concerns.

Regional Context

Bristol County has poorer water quality than the average county in Massachusetts. Its water score is 8.7 points lower than the state average, suggesting more challenges with contamination control or infrastructure than neighboring counties.

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

148

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

13K

13,227 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Microbiological
  • Nutrient

Categories measured most frequently

Data from the EPA Water Quality Portal (WQP), aggregating monitoring records from federal, state, and tribal sources. Each measurement represents a single sample analyzed for a specific characteristic (e.g., E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen).

Live USGS Streamgage

River & Stream Conditions

Current Discharge

99.4cfs

May 14, 6:15 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

59%

Well below typical

Primary Streamgage

THREEMILE RIVER AT NORTH DIGHTON, MA

USGS site
01109060
Drainage area
84.3 sq mi
Long-term mean
167 cfs

One representative streamgage (the one with the largest drainage area in the county). Many counties have multiple gauges — this view summarizes the primary one. The long-term mean is the full-record annual average; "% of typical" compares the latest reading against that average.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water quality in Bristol County, Massachusetts?
Bristol County, Massachusetts has a drinking-water quality grade of C with a score of 60.4/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 39 health-based drinking water violations over the past 5 years. Watershed health, monitoring records, and live streamflow are reported separately on this page.
Are there any water violations in Bristol County?
Bristol County has 39 health-based drinking water violations recorded by the EPA over the past 5 years. Health-based violations indicate instances where contaminant levels exceeded EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Violations may have been resolved — check with your local water utility for current status.
How much water-quality monitoring happens in Bristol County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 13,227 measurements from 148 monitoring sites in Bristol County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Microbiological, Nutrient. Each measurement is a single sample analyzed for one characteristic (E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, etc.). High monitoring density means more scientific evidence behind any reported signal — it does not by itself indicate water quality.
What's happening with rivers in Bristol County right now?
Bristol County's primary USGS streamgage on the THREEMILE RIVER is currently reading 99.4 cubic feet per second — 59% of the long-term mean of 167.28 cfs. This is well below typical — often a signal of drought stress on source water. For genuine real-time data, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Bristol County water compare to the Massachusetts average?
Bristol County's SDWIS water quality score of 60.4/100 is lower than the Massachusetts state average of 69.1. The average water quality grade across Massachusetts is C, based on data from 14 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Bristol County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Bristol County has a water quality grade of C (60.4/100). This indicates moderate compliance. Some violations have been recorded but overall standards are maintained. The grade speaks to the public water system, not the watershed — for watershed-level concerns, see the Watershed Health zone. For the most up-to-date information, contact your local water utility or review your Consumer Confidence Report (CCR).
Why does Bristol County have so many water violations?
Bristol County has 39 health-based drinking water violations on record from the EPA SDWIS database. A higher violation count can result from aging infrastructure, underfunded water utilities, agricultural runoff contamination, or industrial pollution. Counties with more water systems may also see more violations simply due to scale. Residents concerned about water quality should consider independent water testing and home filtration systems.
How does Bristol County rank for water quality in Massachusetts?
Bristol County ranks #13 out of 14 counties in Massachusetts by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 60.4/100, it falls in the bottom third of counties statewide. The ranking reflects EPA SDWIS compliance only — not watershed impairment, monitoring density, or streamflow, which are tracked separately on this page.

Counties with Similar Water Quality

Berkshire County

Massachusetts

C

60.6

Water score

Worcester County

Massachusetts

B

63.5

Water score

Norfolk County

Massachusetts

B

63.8

Water score

Data Sources

Drinking-water compliance data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) via the ECHO enforcement database. Scores reflect compliance history and health-based violation counts.

Water-quality monitoring counts from the EPA Water Quality Portal (WQP) — federated USGS, EPA, and state agency sampling records over a rolling 5-year window.

Live streamflow from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) — continuous discharge measurements from the largest-drainage gauge in each county, compared against the full-record long-term annual mean.

Disclaimer: This data is informational only. It is not health, legal, or professional advice. For concerns about your specific water supply, contact your local water utility.

By Logan Johnson, Founder & Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Logan Johnson, Founder & Data Editor

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