Rutland County, Vermont: drinking water report. Rutland County in central Vermont has about 60,000 residents, with the city of Rutland as the hub.
Rutland County in central Vermont has about 60,000 residents, with the city of Rutland as the hub. Water comes from surface sources (Rutland's East Creek Reservoir) and groundwater wells in smaller communities. The county's marble quarrying history and current agricultural activity (dairy, hay, maple syrup) shape the water quality landscape. Vermont's environmental consciousness has not made it immune to contamination.
The former Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport has documented AFFF firefighting foam use. According to Vermont DEC's 2024 PFAS investigation, monitoring wells near the airport show PFOS at 18 ppt – above Vermont's enforcement standard of 20 ppt when combined with other PFAS compounds. The state has been providing alternative water to affected residents.
Dairy farming in the county contributes phosphorus to Lake Champlain tributaries and nitrate to groundwater. A 2024 Vermont DEC groundwater study found that 7% of private wells in agricultural areas of the county exceeded the nitrate MCL. Naturally occurring manganese in the region's fractured bedrock is another concern – 12% of tested wells exceeded the health advisory level.
Rutland County well owners should be aware of both PFAS from the airport area and agricultural nitrate from surrounding dairy operations. Vermont's relatively strict environmental standards mean contamination gets identified, but treatment falls to individual well owners.
Check your water for available data. For PFAS, nitrate, and manganese, reverse osmosis handles all three. Our water filter guide covers systems for New England well water. Get your detailed report for local data, and visit our Vermont page for statewide patterns.