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
201–225 of 328Williamstown Water Dept
MA1341000 · 7,326 served
Middleton Water Dept.
MA3184000 · 7,255 served
Lunenburg Water District
MA2162000 · 7,219 served
Merrimac Water Department
MA3180000 · 7,193 served
West Boylston Water District
MA2321000 · 7,132 served
Spencer Water Department
MA2280000 · 7,037 served
Sterling Water Department
MA2282000 · 6,754 served
Groveland Water Department
MA3116000 · 6,743 served
Orange Water Dept
MA1223000 · 6,526 served
Townsend Water Department
MA2299000 · 6,500 served
Devens Massdevelopment
MA2019001 · 6,500 served
Dalton Fire District
MA1070000 · 6,330 served
Rowley Water Department
MA3254000 · 6,283 served
South Hadley Fire District #2 Water Dept
MA1275001 · 6,200 served
Town of Eastham
MA4086095 · 6,199 served
Templeton Munic. Light and Water Plant
MA2294000 · 6,152 served
Tisbury Water Works
MA4296000 · 6,082 served
Hopedale Water Department
MA2138000 · 6,017 served
Lancaster Water Department
MA2147000 · 6,000 served
Otis Air National Guard Base
MA4096001 · 6,000 served
Marion Water Division
MA4169000 · 5,761 served
Winchendon Water Department
MA2343000 · 5,706 served
Rutland Water Department
MA2257000 · 5,605 served
Lincoln Water Dept
MA3157000 · 5,593 served
Dudley Water Department
MA2080000 · 5,515 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
Williamstown Water Dept
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
Middleton Water Dept.
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
Lunenburg Water District
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