State Hub
Massachusetts Water Quality
328
Utilities in database
10.0M
Residents served
6
With open violations
260
PFAS monitored
Quick Answer
Massachusetts public drinking water is served by 328 EPA-tracked water systems, providing service to approximately 10.0 million residents through public utilities. 6 of those systems currently have open health-based violations on record in the EPA federal database. 260 systems have official PFAS monitoring records from the EPA UCMR 5 program (2023–2025). About 18% of MA residents use private wells, which fall outside federal utility compliance monitoring.
6 Massachusetts water systems have open health-based violations recorded in EPA SDWIS. An open violation means a contaminant exceeded a federal limit and the violation has not been formally resolved in the federal database. Check individual utility pages for current status.
Open Health-Based Violations in Massachusetts
Records sourced from EPA SDWIS. A record may be under review or resolved at the utility level but not yet updated in federal records. Water Utility Report does not determine whether water is safe to drink.
Drinking Water in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has 328 community water systems serving approximately 10.0 million residents. Primary water sources include surface water. The most commonly reported contaminants include lead, disinfection byproducts, nitrates. 18% of Massachusetts residents rely on private wells. DEP holds primary enforcement authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Highest Risk Utilities
Massachusetts systems with open health-based violations in EPA records.
Safest Large Utilities
Massachusetts systems with no open health violations serving 10,000+ residents.
Utilities in Massachusetts
226–250 of 328Groton Water Department
MA2115000 · 5,456 served
Topsfield Water Department
MA3298000 · 5,435 served
Lee Water Dept
MA1150000 · 5,420 served
Barnstable Fire District
MA4020000 · 5,400 served
Onset Fire Districtwater Dept.
MA4310003 · 5,392 served
Dighton Water District
MA4076000 · 5,264 served
Manchester by the Sea Dpw
MA3166000 · 5,170 served
Cotuit Fire District Water Department
MA4020003 · 4,938 served
Southampton Water Dept
MA1276000 · 4,853 served
Lynnfield Water Dist. (mwra)
MA3164001 · 4,820 served
Hadley Dpw Water Division
MA1117002 · 4,819 served
Palmer Water District No.1
MA1227000 · 4,789 served
Town of Avon
MA4018000 · 4,777 served
North Sagamore Water District
MA4036002 · 4,668 served
Sturbridge Water Department
MA2287000 · 4,567 served
Upton Dpw Water/wastewater Division
MA2303000 · 4,420 served
Tyngsborough Water District
MA3301000 · 4,416 served
Douglas Water Department
MA2077000 · 4,400 served
Great Barrington Fire Dist
MA1113000 · 4,375 served
Paxton Water Department
MA2228000 · 4,300 served
Monson Water and Sewer Dept
MA1191000 · 4,212 served
Shirley Water District
MA2270000 · 4,121 served
Barre Water Department
MA2021000 · 4,098 served
Wenham Water Dept.
MA3320000 · 3,942 served
North Brookfield Water Department
MA2212000 · 3,903 served
Key Contaminant Concerns in Massachusetts
These contaminants appear most frequently in Massachusetts utility records or pose elevated risk in this region based on EPA data.
Lead
Lead is a naturally occurring heavy metal that was widely used in plumbing infrastructure until it was banned for new installations in 1986. An estimated 9.2 million lead service lines still connect homes to public water mains across the United States, along with millions of homes with lead solder in their internal plumbing. Critically, a utility's water quality report can show zero detected lead at the treatment plant while your specific tap still delivers elevated lead — because the contamination happens inside the distribution system and your home's plumbing, not at the source.
EPA limit: 15 ppb (action level)
Nitrates
Nitrate (NO₃⁻) is a nitrogen-containing compound that forms naturally through the decomposition of organic matter. At elevated concentrations — almost always caused by human activity — nitrate is converted in the digestive system to nitrite, which then reacts with hemoglobin to form methemoglobin, a form of hemoglobin that cannot carry oxygen. In the body, nitrite also reacts with amines in food to form N-nitroso compounds (nitrosamines) — known carcinogens classified by the IARC as Group 2A (probable human carcinogens). The United States applies over 23 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer annually, making agricultural runoff the dominant source of nitrate contamination in U.S. groundwater.
EPA limit: 10 mg/L
DBPs
When utilities add chlorine to water to kill pathogens, it reacts with dissolved organic matter — leaves, algae, soil — to produce disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Over 600 DBPs have been identified. The EPA regulates two groups: total trihalomethanes (TTHMs, including chloroform) and haloacetic acids (HAA5). DBP levels tend to be highest in surface water systems and in warm months when organic matter is elevated.
EPA limit: 80 µg/L (TTHMs) / 60 µg/L (HAA5)
City Water Reports in Massachusetts
Tap water quality pages for Massachusetts cities — violations, PFAS records, utility profiles, and official source links.
Independent Water Testing
Find a certified lab in Massachusetts
Utility compliance records show what water systems report to the EPA. An independent test from a certified laboratory confirms what's actually in your tap water. Massachusetts labs can test for PFAS, lead, nitrates, bacteria, and dozens of other contaminants.
Explore Water Quality in Massachusetts
Groton Water Department
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
Topsfield Water Department
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
Lee Water Dept
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
PFAS monitoring records — Massachusetts
260 water systems in Massachusetts with EPA UCMR 5 records
Active drinking water violations
6 open health-based violations on record — view official EPA SDWIS data
Lead in Massachusetts drinking water
State-specific lead data, violation utilities, and testing guidance
PFAS in Massachusetts drinking water
State-specific PFAS data, MCL context, and treatment options
Certified water testing labs in Massachusetts
Labs certified for PFAS (EPA 533/537.1), lead, and bacteria testing
Water treatment options
Reverse osmosis, activated carbon, and filtration guides with cost ranges
Data sources and methodology
How WaterUtilityReport.com sources and validates official EPA data
Common Questions About Massachusetts Drinking Water
Does Massachusetts drinking water have PFAS?
260 Massachusetts water systems have EPA UCMR 5 PFAS monitoring records (2023–2025)
Which Massachusetts water utilities have open violations?
6 systems have open health-based violations in EPA SDWIS — search for your utility
How do I test my water in Massachusetts?
State-certified labs for PFAS (EPA 533/537.1), lead, nitrate, and bacteria testing
What treatment removes PFAS from MA tap water?
Reverse osmosis removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, and nitrates — cost, maintenance, and NSF certification explained
What do Massachusetts PFAS records tell me about my water?
EPA limits, health context, and what UCMR 5 detection above MRL means for your water
How is Massachusetts water quality data sourced here?
EPA SDWIS violations, UCMR 5 PFAS records, and CCR data — sources, accuracy notes, and limitations
Massachusetts Water FAQs
Data sources: Utility compliance and violation data from EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System). PFAS monitoring records from EPA UCMR 5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5, 2023–2025). Contaminant data from EPA and ATSDR public references. This page summarizes public records — it is not a compliance determination. Methodology →
Last updated: 2026-04-19