Is Northampton, MA tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for Northampton Water Division.
2 public water systems serve parts of Northampton. The largest, Northampton Water Division, serves 29,571 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Northampton Water Division
29,571 people · Surface water · EPA ID MA1214000
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 2.6 ppb at the 90th percentile (Dec 2024, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Across Massachusetts, 75 of 261 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 8 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Massachusetts results.
Northampton homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Northampton city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Northampton
- Linda Manor Nursing Home Water System120 people · Groundwater · Massachusetts · lists this cityNot in EPA's PFAS sample
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Holyoke 8 mi Holyoke Water Works | None above limits | 9 ppb |
| Amherst Town 9 mi Amherst Dept. of Public Works Water Division | None above limits | 8 ppb |
| Chicopee 12 mi Chicopee Water Dept (MWRA) | None above limits | 1.5 ppb |
| Westfield 14 mi Westfield Dpwwater Division | None above limits | 2.7 ppb |
| West Springfield Town 14 mi West Springfield Dept. of Public Works Water Division | None above limits | 1.6 ppb |
| Springfield 16 mi Springfield Water and Sewer Commission | None above limits | 3.5 ppb |
Northampton ZIP codes (4)
- 01053
- 01060
- 01062
- 01063
Questions
Is Northampton tap water safe to drink?
Northampton Water Division has had no health-based violations since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Northampton, MA?
2 public water systems serve parts of Northampton. The largest is Northampton Water Division (29,571 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Northampton tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Northampton Water Division had no PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2025 testing. "Not detected" means below the reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt), not proven zero.
Do Northampton homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 73% of Northampton homes as built before 1980 (Massachusetts: 67%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Northampton Water Division's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.