Massachusetts tap water quality
529 community water systems serving 10.8 million people.
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
75
systems with PFAS above a federal limit
1.3 million
people served by them
261
systems EPA tested for PFAS
8
systems above the lead action level
PFAS: EPA's 2023–2025 testing. Lead: results from the last five years. 5 more systems have no recent lead results in EPA's database.
Water systems with PFAS above the federal limit
Based on EPA's UCMR 5 results (2023–2025) compared to the April 2024 limits, the way EPA compares them. Systems have until 2029 to comply. Largest first.
- Peabody Water Dept.54,481 people · Surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limit
- Centerville Osterville Marstons Mills Water District50,000 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFHxS detected
- Attleboro Water Dept46,461 people · Surface water · MassachusettsPFOS above limitAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violation · PFOA detected · PFHxS detected
- Dedham Westwood Water District41,630 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violation
- Woburn Water Dept.40,876 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit
- Braintree Water and Sewer Dept.39,143 people · Surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit
- Natick Water and Sewer Division37,006 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- Randolph Water Department35,114 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- Marshfield Water Department34,000 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: Coliform bacteria violation · PFOS detected · Lithium above screening level
- Franklin Water Department33,706 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS detected · PFHxS detected
- Abington/Rockland Joint Water Works33,387 people · Surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violation · Coliform bacteria violation
- Needham Water Dept31,664 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS detected
- North Attleboro Water Dept31,410 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- Milford Water Department30,379 people · Surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit
- Wellesley Water Division29,550 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit
- Stoughton Water Department29,281 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit
- Chelmsford Water District28,750 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violation
- Bridgewater Water Department28,633 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- Wakefield Water Dept27,090 people · Surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limit
- Dracut Water Supply District25,808 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limit
- Easton Water Division25,058 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- Dartmouth Water Division24,696 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsPFOS above limitAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations · Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations · Coliform bacteria violations
- Canton Water Dept22,766 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limit
- Acton Water Supply District21,285 people · Groundwater under influence of surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- Scituate Water Division19,297 people · Surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
- Norton Water Department19,161 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations · PFOS detected · PFHxS detected
- Concord Water Dept18,788 people · Surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: 2 health-based violations since 2016
- Foxboro Water Department18,721 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit
- Sudbury Water District18,416 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsPFOA above limit
- Holden Water Division, Dept. of Public Works18,016 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limit
And 20 more in the full list of Massachusetts utilities below.
Massachusetts PFAS report: chart, rankings and data to download →
Largest water systems in Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA)2.6 million people · Surface water · MassachusettsNot in EPA's PFAS sample
- Tri Town Water Board856,000 people · Surface water · MassachusettsNot in EPA's PFAS sample
- Boston Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA)675,647 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsNo PFAS above limitsAlso: 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Worcester DPW&P Water Supply Division206,518 people · Surface water · MassachusettsNo PFAS above limits
- Springfield Water and Sewer Commission169,170 people · Surface water · MassachusettsHaloacetic acids (HAA5) violationsAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
- Lowell Regional Water Utility120,418 people · Surface water · MassachusettsPFOA detectedAlso: 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Cambridge Water Department118,214 people · Surface water · MassachusettsPFOA detected
- Quincy Water Dept. (MWRA)106,000 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsLead above action level
- Brockton Water Department105,788 people · Surface water · MassachusettsTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violation
- Inima USA / Aquaria LLC105,643 people · Surface water · MassachusettsNo PFAS above limits
- Lynn Water and Sewer Commission101,253 people · Surface water · MassachusettsPFOA detected
- City of New Bedford Dept. of Public Infrastructure101,079 people · Surface water · MassachusettsNo PFAS above limits
- Falmouth Water Dept97,551 people · Surface water · MassachusettsTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
- Fall River Water Department94,000 people · Surface water · MassachusettsLead near 2027 level
- Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board90,330 people · Surface water · MassachusettsTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violation
Massachusetts cities and towns
- Agawam Town
- Amherst Town
- Andover
- Attleboro
- Barnstable Town
- Beverly
- Billerica
- Boston
- Braintree Town
- Bridgewater Town
- Brockton
- Cambridge
- Canton
- Chelmsford
- Chelsea
- Chicopee
- Dartmouth
- Dracut
- Easton
- Everett
- Fall River
- Falmouth
- Fitchburg
- Framingham
- Franklin Town
- Gloucester
- Haverhill
- Holyoke
- Lawrence
- Leominster
- Lowell
- Lynn
- Malden
- Marlborough
- Marshfield
- Medford
- Melrose
- Middleborough
- Natick
- New Bedford
- Newton
- North Andover
- North Attleborough Town
- Northampton
- Peabody
- Pittsfield
- Plymouth
- Quincy
- Randolph Town
- Revere
- Salem
- Shrewsbury
- Somerville
- Springfield
- Stoughton
- Taunton
- Tewksbury
- Walpole
- Waltham
- West Springfield Town
- Westfield
- Weymouth Town
- Woburn
- Worcester
- Yarmouth
Most health-based violations since 2016
- Springfield Water and Sewer Commission169,170 people · Surface water · MassachusettsHaloacetic acids (HAA5) violationsAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
- Monroe Water District55 people · Surface water · MassachusettsHaloacetic acids (HAA5) violationsAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
- Blandford Water Dept442 people · Surface water · MassachusettsTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violationsAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations
- Mount St Marys Abbey Water System60 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsLead above action levelAlso: Radium (combined 226/228) violations
- Swansea Water District17,375 people · Surface water · MassachusettsTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violationsAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations · PFOA detected · PFHxS detected
- Longmeadow Water Dept15,853 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsHaloacetic acids (HAA5) violationsAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
- Plainville Water Department8,805 people · Groundwater under influence of surface water · MassachusettsPFOS above limitAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations · Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations · PFOA detected
- Agawam Water Department28,692 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsHaloacetic acids (HAA5) violationsAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
- Somerset Water Department18,303 people · Surface water · MassachusettsTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
- Chester Water Dept750 people · Surface water · MassachusettsTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violationsAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations
- Dartmouth Water Division24,696 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsPFOS above limitAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations · Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations · Coliform bacteria violations
- Housatonic Water Works1,391 people · Surface water · MassachusettsHaloacetic acids (HAA5) violations
- Norton Water Department19,161 people · Groundwater · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations · PFOS detected · PFHxS detected
- Scituate Water Division19,297 people · Surface water · MassachusettsPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
- Dighton Water District5,280 people · Purchased surface water · MassachusettsTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violationsAlso: PFOA detected · PFOS detected
All Massachusetts utilities on this site
Every Massachusetts system serving 50,000+ people or with PFAS above a federal limit, A to Z. Download all 529 systems as CSV.
- Abington/Rockland Joint Water Works
- Acton Water Supply District
- Aquarion Water Company, Millbury
- Attleboro Water Dept
- Auburn Water District
- Barnstable Fire District
- Boston Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA)
- Boylston Water District
- Braintree Water and Sewer Dept.
- Bridgewater Water Department
- Brockton Water Department
- Brookline Water and Sewer Division
- Cambridge Water Department
- Canton Water Dept
- Centerville Osterville Marstons Mills Water District
- Chelmsford Water District
- Chicopee Water Dept (MWRA)
- City of New Bedford Dept. of Public Infrastructure
- Cohasset Water Dept
- Concord Water Dept
- Dartmouth Water Division
- Dedham Westwood Water District
- Dennis Water District
- Dracut Water Supply District
- Duxbury Water Department
- East Bridgewater Water Dept
- Easton Water Division
- Fall River Water Department
- Falmouth Water Dept
- Foxboro Water Department
- Framingham Water Dept. (MWRA)
- Franklin Water Department
- Grafton Water District
- Groveland Water Department
- Halifax Water Department
- Hamilton Water Dept
- Hanover Water Dept
- Hanson Water Department
- Haverhill Water Dept
- Haystack Estates Water System
- Holbrook Public Works Dept
- Holden Water Division, Dept. of Public Works
- Holliston Water Department
- Hopedale Water Department
- Hopkinton Water Department
- Inima USA / Aquaria LLC
- Ipswich DPU Water Dept
- Lawrence Water Works
- Lincoln Water Dept
- Lowell Regional Water Utility
- Lynn Water and Sewer Commission
- Lynnfield Center Water District
- Malden Water Division (MWRA)
- Manchester-by-the-Sea Dept. of Public Works
- Marshfield Water Department
- Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA)
- Maynard DPW, Water Division
- Medfield Water Dept.
- Medford Water Dept. (MWRA)
- Medway Water Department
- Merrimac Water Department
- Methuen Water Dept
- Middleborough Water Supply
- Milford Water Department
- Millis Water Dept
- Natick Water and Sewer Division
- Needham Water Dept
- Newton Water Dept. (MWRA)
- Norfolk Water Division
- North Attleboro Water Dept
- Norton Water Department
- Norwell Water Department
- Onset Fire Districtwater Dept.
- Peabody Water Dept.
- Pepperell Dept. of Public Works Water Division
- Plainville Water Department
- Quincy Water Dept. (MWRA)
- Randolph Water Department
- Raynham Center Water District
- Revere Water Division (MWRA)
- Rowley Water Department
- Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board
- Scituate Water Division
- Seekonk Water District
- Sharon Water Dept
- Shirley Water District
- Somerville Water Dept. (MWRA)
- Springfield Water and Sewer Commission
- Stoughton Water Department
- Sudbury Water District
- Taunton Water Division
- Templeton Municipal. Light and Water Plant
- Topsfield Water Department
- Town of Avon
- Tri Town Water Board
- Upper Cape Regional Water Cooperative
- Uxbridge DPW, Water Division
- Wakefield Water Dept
- Waltham Water Department
- Ware Water Dept
- Wayland Water Department
- Wellesley Water Division
- Wenham Water Dept.
- Weymouth Water Department
- Woburn Water Dept.
- Worcester DPW&P Water Supply Division
Questions
Does Massachusetts tap water have PFAS?
EPA tested 261 community water systems in Massachusetts for 29 PFAS between 2023 and 2025. 112 had at least one regulated PFAS detected, and 75 had an entry-point average above a 2024 federal limit. Those 75 systems serve about 1.3 million people (12% of people on community water in Massachusetts). Systems have until 2029 to meet the limits.
How many Massachusetts water systems have violations?
128 systems in Massachusetts had at least one health-based violation since 2016 (421 violations in total). 55 violations are currently listed as unaddressed.
Which Massachusetts water systems are over the lead action level?
8 systems had a lead 90th percentile above the 15 ppb action level in their most recent results from the last five years. Another 5 systems have no lead results in EPA's database from the last five years. Lead depends on each home's pipes, so a test of your own tap is the only way to know your level.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.