MWRA vs BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION (MWRA)
Water quality comparison — risk levels, violations, PFAS records, and contaminants
Quick Answer
Both utilities share the same risk level (safe). MWRA has 0 open health-based violations and 0 PFAS records. BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION (MWRA) has 1 open health-based violation and 116 PFAS records.
Massachusetts · MA6000000
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
0
Open violations
0
PFAS records
Massachusetts · MA3035000
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
1
Open violations
116
PFAS records
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | MWRA | BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION (MWRA) |
|---|---|---|
| State | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Risk Level | No Concerns Detected | No Concerns Detected |
| Population Served | 2,660,000 | 675,647 |
| Open Health Violations | 0 | 1 |
| Total Violations | 0 | 1 |
| PFAS Records | None detected | 116 |
| Ownership | State | Local |
| Service Type | Surface water | Surface water |
| City Served | Boston | Boston |
Contaminants in Violation Records
MWRA
No named contaminants in violation records.
BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION (MWRA)
- Lead
Key Differences
MWRA has 0 open health-based violations vs. 1 for BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION (MWRA).
MWRA has 0 PFAS records vs. 116 for BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION (MWRA).
What Should I Do?
If either utility shows open violations or elevated PFAS records, consider:
- Installing a reverse osmosis filter — removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, nitrates, and most heavy metals.
- Requesting your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for the most current test results.
- Ordering a certified lab water test if you want contaminant-specific data for your address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is safer — MWRA or BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION (MWRA)?
Both utilities share the same risk level (safe). Both utilities have similar violation profiles — review the full data above to decide based on specific contaminants that concern you.
What does "open health-based violation" mean?
An open health-based violation means a water system has exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or failed to meet a treatment technique — and the violation has not yet been resolved. These are the most serious type of water quality violations.
How current is this data?
Violation data comes from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), which is updated as utilities report. PFAS data comes from EPA's UCMR 5 monitoring (2023–2025). Risk levels are recalculated daily.
What does PWSID mean?
PWSID stands for Public Water System ID — a unique federal identifier assigned to each community water system. You can use it to look up a system in EPA's ECHO database.