Local water
Kent County, DE Water and Sewer: What Residents Should Know
Read public findings about Kent County, Delaware water, sewer pipes, overflows, private wells, and wastewater improvements.
Kent County, Delaware has public water systems, private wells, local sewer networks, and a regional wastewater plant. These systems do different jobs. A wastewater report is about used water after it leaves homes and businesses. It is not the same as a drinking-water test at the tap.
What do public records say about wastewater?
Kent County says its wastewater system has more than 465 miles of sewer lines and 104 pump stations. Pump stations move sewage when gravity cannot carry it downhill. The county says its regional plant serves flows from many towns, including Dover, Smyrna, Milford, and Harrington. See Kent County Public Works information (opens in a new tab).
In August 2025, Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced an agreement with Kent County after wastewater permit problems. The state said reports from 2017 onward included sewer overflows, treatment problems involving bacteria and suspended solids, and maintenance issues. Heavy rain and older sewer systems were part of the problem. The agreement calls for pipe checks, treatment plant upgrades, backup power at key pump stations, and progress reports to the state. Read the state’s announcement (opens in a new tab).
This finding is about the sewer and wastewater system. It does not say that all Kent County tap water is unsafe. Drinking water comes from local providers, and each provider posts its own yearly water report. Delaware’s Drinking Water Watch (opens in a new tab) lets people search for a public water system and its test information.
What about wells and salty water?
Some Kent County residents use private wells. DNREC monitors salt levels in groundwater near Bowers Beach and in the East Dover area. The state has found high salt in freshwater aquifers near Bowers and is studying how pumping may affect groundwater near East Dover. Read DNREC’s saltwater monitoring overview (opens in a new tab).
