Sussex County water treatment
Water treatment for Millsboro, Lewes, Rehoboth Beach & Georgetown: nitrate in wells, PFAS, lead sampling, and a free water analysis.
Where Sussex County's water comes from
Sussex County's towns run groundwater systems, and most of the county's land is outside mapped service areas, where private wells are the norm.
Key issues
- Nitrate around Millsboro: residents near Millsboro reached a settlement with poultry processor Mountaire over contaminated groundwater[1]. See nitrate.
- PFAS: Georgetown (PFOA up to 36 ppt) and Rehoboth Beach (14.9 ppt) were among systems reporting PFOA above 4.0 ppt in EPA UCMR 5 sampling[2]. Delaware's 4.0 ppt limits took effect in January 2026[3].
- Lead sampling in Lewes: EPA records show Lewes Board of Public Works' most recent 90th-percentile lead result at 21.6 ppb, above the 15 ppb action level[4][5]. Check the utility's notices for the latest.
- Private wells: Delaware's Division of Public Health recommends testing every year for nitrate and bacteria, and offers free test kits and financial aid for well owners[6]. See nitrate.
Towns
Millsboro
Utility or well? ZIP 19966: about 84% of the land area lies outside mapped public water service areas[4]. Homes in those areas are likely on private wells, which no utility tests. If that's you, start with a free in-home test.
Millsboro Water Department
EPA water system ID DE0000622 · serves about 8,568 people · groundwater (wells)
- Health violations
- No health-based violations in the last three years; 3 older on record (ph, Jun 2018, resolved; ph, May 2018, resolved)[4]
- Lead
- 5.2 ppb at the 90th percentile of its most recent lead sampling (EPA action level: 15 ppb)[5]
- PFAS
- No PFAS were detected in its EPA UCMR 5 samples.[2]
Full EPA record for this system · Ask the utility for its annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for hardness and other details[7].
Lewes
Utility or well? ZIP 19958: about 84% of the land area lies outside mapped public water service areas[4]. Homes in those areas are likely on private wells, which no utility tests. If that's you, start with a free in-home test.
Lewes Board of Public Works
EPA water system ID DE0000602 · serves about 9,627 people · groundwater (wells)
- Health violations
- No health-based violations in the last three years; 1 older on record (ph, Aug 2018, resolved)[4]
- Lead
- 21.6 ppb at the 90th percentile of its most recent lead sampling (EPA action level: 15 ppb)[5]
- PFAS
- EPA UCMR 5 sampling found PFOS up to 9.5 ppt, PFOA up to 6.1 ppt, PFHxS up to 3.5 ppt, so PFOA and PFOS were above the 4.0 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029.[2]
Full EPA record for this system · Ask the utility for its annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for hardness and other details[7].
Rehoboth Beach
Utility or well? ZIP 19971: about 63% of the land area lies outside mapped public water service areas[4]. Homes in those areas are likely on private wells, which no utility tests. If that's you, start with a free in-home test.
Rehoboth Beach Water Department
EPA water system ID DE0000723 · serves about 25,000 people · groundwater (wells)
- Health violations
- No health-based violations on record[4]
- Lead
- 0 ppb at the 90th percentile of its most recent lead sampling (EPA action level: 15 ppb)[5]
- PFAS
- EPA UCMR 5 sampling found PFOA up to 14.9 ppt, PFOS up to 6.2 ppt, PFBS up to 7.2 ppt, PFHxS up to 6.9 ppt, so PFOA and PFOS were above the 4.0 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029.[2]
Full EPA record for this system · Ask the utility for its annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for hardness and other details[7].
Dewey Beach Water Department
EPA water system ID DE0000825 · serves about 31,000 people · groundwater bought from another supplier
- Health violations
- No health-based violations on record[4]
- Lead
- 0 ppb at the 90th percentile of its most recent lead sampling (EPA action level: 15 ppb)[5]
- PFAS
- EPA UCMR 5 sampling found PFOA up to 11 ppt, PFBS up to 5 ppt, PFHxA up to 4.2 ppt, PFPeA up to 3.8 ppt, so PFOA was above the 4.0 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029.[2]
Full EPA record for this system · Ask the utility for its annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for hardness and other details[7].
Georgetown
Utility or well? ZIP 19947: about 97% of the land area lies outside mapped public water service areas[4]. Homes in those areas are likely on private wells, which no utility tests. If that's you, start with a free in-home test.
Georgetown Water Department
EPA water system ID DE0000592 · serves about 7,259 people · groundwater (wells)
- Health violations
- No health-based violations in the last three years; 1 older on record (ph, Apr 2018, resolved)[4]
- Lead
- 0 ppb at the 90th percentile of its most recent lead sampling (EPA action level: 15 ppb)[5]
- PFAS
- EPA UCMR 5 sampling found PFOA up to 36 ppt, PFOS up to 14 ppt, 6:2 FTS up to 180 ppt, PFPeA up to 110 ppt, so PFOA and PFOS were above the 4.0 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029.[2]
Full EPA record for this system · Ask the utility for its annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for hardness and other details[7].
Common problems here
Check your ZIP in Sussex County, DE
Look up what your local water utility has reported to the EPA, then take a 60-second quiz about what you see, taste, and smell at home. We'll use both to recommend the right solution.
Get your water report
Enter your ZIP code to see your utility's violations, lead testing, and PFAS results from public EPA records, explained in plain English.
Data comes from U.S. EPA and Census public records. It covers public water systems, not private wells, and it isn't a test of your home's tap. If you're on a well, a free in-home test is the best way to know what's in your water.
Step 2
Your recommended solution
Based on your water report and quiz answers.
Common questions
How do I find out what's in my water in Sussex County, DE?
Enter your ZIP in our free report for your utility's EPA records, check your utility's annual water quality report (CCR), or book a free in-home test. On a private well, use a state-certified lab for health-related tests.
Does WÜDR install in Sussex County, DE?
Yes. We serve Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Enter your ZIP in the help form and we'll confirm your address.
Clean water starts with knowing what's in it.
Sources
- WHYY: Millsboro residents and the Mountaire settlement. whyy.org/articles/millsboro-mountaire-settlement-contaminated-water-delaware/
- U.S. EPA: UCMR occurrence data. www.epa.gov/dwucmr/occurrence-data-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule
- Delaware Public Health: PFAS in Delaware public drinking water. publichealthalerts.delaware.gov/pfas-in-delaware-public-drinking-water/
- U.S. EPA: SDWIS Federal Reports (violations, lead and copper results). sdwis.epa.gov/ords/sfdw_pub/r/sfdw/sdwis_fed_reports_public/200
- U.S. EPA: Basic information about lead in drinking water. www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water
- Delaware DPH: Financial aid program and free water testing kits for private well owners (Aug 31, 2023). news.delaware.gov/2023/08/31/dph-launches-new-financial-aid-program-for-private-well-owners-offers-free-water-testing-kits-to-delaware-residents/
- U.S. EPA: Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) information for consumers. www.epa.gov/ccr/ccr-information-consumers
EPA records retrieved Oct 2026 from the EPA SDWIS and UCMR 5 public datasets. Utility records describe a water system, not the tap in your home. Records can lag and may be incomplete.