Fairfield
Fairfield, CT water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
essex gardens
groundwater (wells) · private · PWSID CT0500021
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Fairfield, CT is a small but growing city, with a population near 59,052 and the 15th-largest community in Connecticut. Like much of Connecticut, Fairfield draws its water primarily from Connecticut River, reservoirs, and groundwater.
Fairfield's water outlook is shaped most by aging infrastructure — the issue that dominates planning across Connecticut. Generally water-rich, with periodic regional shortfalls and PFAS detections driving treatment upgrades.
Fairfield sits in a state that reuses roughly 4% of treated wastewater (minimal programs) and currently experiences abnormally dry to moderate drought.
For the bigger picture, see the Connecticut state water profile and the related issues below.
Middlesex County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~59,052 (15th-largest in Connecticut)
- Primary sources: Connecticut River, reservoirs, and groundwater
- Drought: abnormally dry to moderate conditions
- State reuse rate: ~4% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Connecticut in severe+ drought (Moderate (D1) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Fairfield?
Fairfield's largest water system, ESSEX GARDENS, serves about 72 people. EPA records show 1 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Fairfield get its water?
ESSEX GARDENS draws primarily from groundwater (wells), part of Connecticut's supply from Connecticut River, reservoirs, groundwater.
Related water issues
Aging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
ExplorePFAS Contamination
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances persist in water supplies for decades. New federal limits are forcing utilities nationwide to invest in advanced treatment.
Explore