Sawyer Homestead · Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0Living in Sterling, MA: what to set up and who to call
Sterling runs its own electric utility, Town of Sterling. Sterling Water Department reported one health-based violation to EPA in the last five years: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule), beginning Feb 2024.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Sterling, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Sterling.
Power comes from Town of Sterling
Town of Sterling (Town of Sterling - (MA)), a municipal utility, serves all of Sterling.
Start or move service: energysterling.com · (978) 422-7331
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Sterling Water Department
Sterling Water Department supplies Sterling: about 96% of residents live in its service area. About 4% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It draws ground water and serves 6,715 people in all.
1 health-based violation reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule), beginning Feb 2024. 80% of the 5,012 systems serving 3,301–10,000 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan–Jun 2026, was 9.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. The highest in five years was 19.0 ppb. That’s higher than 98% of similar systems’ latest results.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. MA2282000.
4 home internet providers serve Sterling
100% of 3,054 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 0% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity | Cable | 99% | 2,000/250 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 29% | 300/20 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 27% | 100/20 |
| AT&T | Fixed wireless | 20% | 25/3 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
Curbside recycling in Sterling: every other week
Pickup days, the drop-off and recycling in Sterling, from the town’s own site.
Brush Dump (behind Sterling Police Department)
George Peeso Lane, Sterling, MA
- Sat8 am–noon
Accepted at the curb
- Plastic Bottles, Jugs, Tubs, & Lids
- Glass Bottles & Jars
- Aluminum & Steel Cans
- Cardboard & Boxboard
- Junk Mail, Periodicals, Office Paper & Paper Cups
From sterling-ma.gov, the town’s official site, checked Oct 21, 2026. Rules change: the town’s page is the last word. .
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Sterling is in Wachusett School District.
B+School gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2023; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Sterling is in ZIP code 01564
ZIP codes where Sterling residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Sterling | ZIP’s residents in Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01564 | Sterling, MA | 100% | 100% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Sterling
Who supplies Sterling’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Sterling Water Department (EPA ID MA2282000). It reported 1 health-based violation to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule). 80% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 9.0 ppb (Jan–Jun 2026), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Sterling?
Town of Sterling (Town of Sterling - (MA)), a municipal utility.
What internet providers serve Sterling?
Xfinity, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Sterling?
01564. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Sterling in?
Wachusett School District.
How do I register to vote in Sterling?
In Massachusetts you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 10 days before). Elections here are run by the Sterling Town Clerk. Check your registration at sec.state.ma.us.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: Sterling’s own website (sterling-ma.gov), read Oct 21, 2026, pickup and drop-off facts extracted and checked against the page they came from.
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.