Is New Bedford, MA tap water safe?
Supplied by City of New Bedford Dept. of Public Infrastructure · serves 101,079 people (24,246 connections) · Surface water · EPA ID MA4201000
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Buys water from Fairhaven Water Dept. Treated water bought from another system can carry that system's contaminants.
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data.
- PFAS
- Detected, below limit1 of 29 PFAS found at least once. All averages below the federal limits.
- Lead
- Below action level4.1 ppb (parts per billion) at the 90th percentile: 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it. Action level 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in Nov 2027. Monitoring period ending Dec 2023. Your home's pipes can make yours higher.
- Violations
- None health-basedNo health-based violations since 2016.
- Built before 1986, or not sure what your service line is made of? Check your service line and test your tap. Utility data can't show your pipes.
- Tested your own tap? Compare your result with these numbers. Moving? Compare this system with another.
- Read City of New Bedford Dept. of Public Infrastructure's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report). It lists every regulated contaminant tested and is usually on the utility's website or mailed with your bill, and you can also request it at (508) 979-1550. EPA: how to find it.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
EPA UCMR 5: 1 entry point tested Feb 2024 to Nov 2024. "Average" is the highest entry-point average (non-detects counted as zero), the way EPA compares UCMR 5 results to the limits. ppt = parts per trillion. These results do not determine compliance.
| Contaminant | Highest average |
|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected Limit 4 ppt | – |
| PFOS Not detected Limit 4 ppt | – |
| PFHxS Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| PFNA Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| Hazard Index (a combined score for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and PFBS, where above 1 is over the limit) Not detected Limit 1 | – |
| PFBS Not detected Guideline 2,000 ppt | – |
| PFBA Detected, below limit Guideline 6,000 ppt | 1.75 ppt |
| PFHxA Not detected Guideline 3,000 ppt | – |
29 PFAS tested, 1 detected at least once. "Not detected" means below EPA's reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt depending on the chemical), not proven zero. PFAS not listed were not detected. The limits for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and the Hazard Index were proposed for rescission in May 2026. That proposal is not final. Systems have until 2029 to meet the limits.
Lithium
Not detected in 4 samples (reporting limit 9 ppb). About lithium.
Lead and copper
Latest 90th percentile: 4.1 ppb lead (Jan 2021 – Dec 2023). Below action level
Highest since 2016: 9 ppb (Dec 2018).
| Monitoring period | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|
| Jan 2021 – Dec 2023 | 4.1 ppb |
| Jan 2020 – Dec 2020 | 2 ppb |
| Jan 2019 – Dec 2019 | 7 ppb |
Earlier results (9)
| Jan 2018 – Dec 2018 | 9 ppb |
| Jan 2017 – Dec 2017 | 4 ppb |
| Jan 2016 – Jun 2016 | 7 ppb |
| Jul 2015 – Dec 2015 | 4 ppb |
| Jan 2015 – Jun 2015 | 31 ppb |
| Jan 2012 – Dec 2014 | 20 ppb |
| Jan 2009 – Dec 2011 | 14 ppb |
| Jan 2006 – Dec 2008 | 12 ppb |
| Jan 2003 – Dec 2005 | 11 ppb |
Lead comes from pipes and fixtures, not the source water, so it varies home to home. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 sampled homes were at or below it. More on lead.
Violations
Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded a limit or a required treatment step was missed. Monitoring and reporting violations mean required tests or reports were late or missing, so the water's quality during that time is unknown. The total includes every violation in EPA's records, most of them paperwork.
Earlier EPA testing (2013–2020)
| Contaminant | Highest | Guideline |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 43.8 ppb | 300 ppb |
| Strontium | 0.031 ppm | 1.5 ppm |
| Vanadium | 0.35 ppb | 21 ppb |
| Chromium-6 | 0.057 ppb | – |
| Chlorate | 280 ppb | 210 ppb |
Where it serves
New Bedford
ZIP codes the system reported serving: 02717, 02719, 02740, 02743, 02744, 02745, 02746, 02747
Nearby utilities
- Dartmouth Water Division Dartmouth · 7 mi · PFAS above limit
- Fall River Water Department Fall River · 9 mi
- Onset Fire Districtwater Dept. Wareham · 14 mi · PFAS above limit
- Middleborough Water Supply Middleborough · 15 mi · PFAS above limit
- Inima USA / Aquaria LLC Dighton · 16 mi
- Falmouth Water Dept Falmouth · 18 mi
Questions
Is New Bedford tap water safe to drink?
Most of New Bedford gets its water from City of New Bedford Dept. of Public Infrastructure. City of New Bedford Dept. of Public Infrastructure has no health-based violations since 2016. EPA testing found no PFAS above the federal limits. Federal data can't tell you about your own pipes: lead comes from service lines and plumbing, so test your tap if your home was built before 1986. For the official word, read the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Does New Bedford water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing of City of New Bedford Dept. of Public Infrastructure found 1 PFAS at least once. None of the averages were above the federal limits.
What is the lead level in New Bedford water?
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result for City of New Bedford Dept. of Public Infrastructure is 4.1 ppb, for the period ending Dec 2023. The federal action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in November 2027. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below this number. Individual homes can be higher.
Check these numbers yourself
Every figure on this page comes from public EPA records. You don't have to take our word for it:
- EPA's own report for MA4201000: violations, enforcement and inspections, straight from EPA.
- EPA UCMR 5 data: the PFAS and lithium results (search the file for PWSID MA4201000).
- EPA SDWIS download: the lead results, population and violation records we use.
- The utility's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report): ask City of New Bedford Dept. of Public Infrastructure at (508) 979-1550, or see EPA's guide to finding it.
Found something that doesn't match? Tell us and we'll check it against EPA's records. How we check our data.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.