Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

STATE

Massachusetts

CONTAMINANTS

132

serves

6,718,000

data

2013-2024

UTILITIES

535

Overview

EWG's drinking water quality report for Massachusetts shows results of tests conducted by the water utilities in Massachusetts and provided to EWG by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

LARGE UTILITIES
ALL UTILITIES WITH VIOLATIONS
LARGE UTILITIES WITH VIOLATIONS

Large utilities in Massachusetts

Below are utilities in Massachusetts serving over 10,000 people, listed alphabetically.

UtilityLocationPeople Served
Abington/rockland Joint Water WorksRockland, MA33,887
Acton Water Supply DistrictActon, MA20,890
Agawam Water DepartmentAgawam, MA28,849
Amesbury DPW Water Div.Amesbury, MA16,283
Amherst DPW Water DivisionAmherst, MA37,819
Andover Water DepartmentAndover, MA33,201
Arlington Water Department (MWRA)Arlington, MA42,844
Ashland Water and Sewer DepartmentAshland, MA16,593
Athol DPW Water DivisionAthol, MA10,172
Attleboro Water DepartmentAttleboro, MA43,593
Auburn Water DistrictAuburn, MA11,763
Bedford Water Department (MWRA)Bedford, MA13,691
Bellingham Dpw Water Sewer Div.Bellingham, MA15,390
Belmont Water Department (MWRA)Belmont, MA24,254
Beverly Water DepartmentBeverly, MA43,316
Billerica Water WorksBillerica, MA40,243
Boston Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA)Boston, MA617,594
Bourne Water DistrictPocasset, MA22,500
Braintree Water and Sewer DepartmentBraintree, MA37,544
Brewster Water DepartmentBrewster, MA35,000
Bridgewater Water DepartmentBridgewater, MA26,563
Brockton Water CommissionBrockton, MA93,810
Brookline Water And Sewer Div. (MWRA)Brookline, MA58,732
Burlington Water DepartmentBurlington, MA25,392
Cambridge Water Department (MWRA)Cambridge, MA105,162
Canton Water Department (MWRA)Canton, MA21,458
Centerville Osterville Marstons Mills WDOsterville, MA50,000
Chatham Water DepartmentChatham, MA30,000
Chelmsford Water DistrictChelmsford, MA28,079
Chelsea Water Department (MWRA)Chelsea, MA35,177
Chicopee Water Department (MWRA)Chicopee, MA55,144
Clinton Water Department (MWRA)Clinton, MA13,606
Concord Water DepartmentConcord, MA16,402
Danvers Water DepartmentMiddleton, MA26,493
Dartmouth Water DivisionDartmouth, MA24,272
Dedham Westwood Water DistrictDedham, MA42,581
Dennis Water DistrictSouth Dennis, MA65,000
Dracut Water Supply DistrictDracut, MA25,741
Duxbury Water DepartmentDuxbury, MA16,445
East Bridgewater Water DepartmentEast Bridgewater, MA13,794
East Longmeadow DPW Water DepartmentEast Longmeadow, MA16,162
Easthampton Water DepartmentEasthampton, MA16,053
Easton Water DivEaston, MA23,112
Everett Water Department (MWRA)Everett, MA42,101
Fairhaven Water DepartmentFairhaven, MA15,792
Fall River Water DepartmentFall River, MA88,857
Falmouth Water DepartmentFalmouth, MA77,500
Fitchburg Dpw, Div. of Water SupplyFitchburg, MA40,545
Foxboro Water DepartmentFoxborough, MA16,924
Framingham Water Department (MWRA)Framingham, MA68,318
Franklin Water DepartmentFranklin, MA32,445
Gardner Water DepartmentGardner, MA19,314
Gloucester DPW Water DepartmentGloucester, MA37,715
Grafton Water DistrictGrafton, MA10,703
Greenfield Water DepartmentGreenfield, MA17,645
Hanover Water DepartmentHanover, MA14,899
Hanscom AFBHanscom Afb, MA11,799
Harwich Water DepartmentEast Harwich, MA38,643
Haverhill Water DepartmentHaverhill, MA57,311
Holbrook Public Works DepartmentHolbrook, MA10,791
Holden Water Division, DPWHolden, MA17,106
Holliston Water DepartmentHolliston, MA14,946
Holyoke Water WorksHolyoke, MA40,124
Hudson Water SupplyHudson, MA18,406
Hyannis Water SystemHyannis, MA35,000
Ipswich DPU Water DepartmentIpswich, MA13,127
Kingston Water DepartmentKingston, MA13,720
Lawrence Water WorksLawrence, MA76,377
Leominster Water Division (MWRA)Leominster, MA40,490
Lexington Water Department (MWRA)Lexington, MA32,271
Longmeadow Water DepartmentLongmeadow, MA15,701
Lowell Regional Water UtilityLowell, MA106,519
Lynn Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA)Lynn, MA90,329
Malden Water Division (MWRA)Malden, MA59,450
Mansfield Water DivisionMansfield, MA23,380
Marblehead Water Department (MWRA)Marblehead, MA19,432
Marlborough DPW Water Div. (MWRA)Marlborough, MA38,499
Marshfield Water DepartmentMarshfield, MA34,000
Mashpee Water DistrictMashpee, MA34,681
Maynard DPW, Water DivisionMaynard, MA10,665
Medfield Water DepartmentMedfield, MA12,595
Medford Water Department (MWRA)Medford, MA57,000
Melrose Water Department (MWRA)Melrose, MA28,367
Methuen Water DepartmentMethuen, MA50,259
Middleborough Water SupplyMiddleborough, MA16,470
Milford Water CompanyMilford, MA27,999
Milton Water Department (MWRA)Milton, MA27,003
Natick Water DepartmentNatick, MA36,137
Needham Water Department (MWRA)Needham, MA32,485
New Bedford Department of Public InfrastructureNew Bedford, MA95,072
Newburyport Water DepartmentNewburyport, MA20,335
Newton Water Department (MWRA)Newton, MA89,045
North Adams Water DepartmentNorth Adams, MA13,000
North Andover Water DepartmentNorth Andover, MA27,500
North Attleboro Water DepartmentNorth Attleborough, MA28,712
North Reading Water DepartmentNorth Reading, MA15,500
Northampton Water DepartmentNorthampton, MA28,548
Northborough Water Department (mwra)Northborough, MA11,490
Norton Water DepartmentNorton, MA19,031
Norwell Water DepartmentNorwell, MA11,258
Norwood Water Department (MWRA)Norwood, MA26,789
Oak Bluffs Water DistrictOak Bluffs, MA22,452
Orleans Water DepartmentOrleans, MA17,670
Peabody Water Department (MWRA)Peabody, MA52,474
Pembroke Water Division DpwPembroke, MA19,189
Pittsfield DPU Water DepartmentPittsfield, MA44,737
Plymouth Water DepartmentPlymouth, MA41,499
Provincetown Water DepartmentProvincetown, MA22,250
Quincy Water Department (MWRA)Quincy, MA96,329
Randolph Water DepartmentRandolph, MA33,375
Reading Water DepartmentReading, MA27,045
Revere Water Department (MWRA)Revere, MA51,755
Rockport Water DepartmentRockport, MA10,000
Salem Water DepartmentSalem, MA42,869
Salisbury Water DepartmentSalisbury, MA20,000
Sandwich Water DistrictSandwich, MA23,000
Saugus Water Department (MWRA)Saugus, MA24,703
Scituate Water DivisionScituate, MA19,688
Seekonk Water DistrictSeekonk, MA13,627
Sharon Water DepartmentSharon, MA17,232
Shrewsbury Water DepartmentShrewsbury, MA35,608
Somerset Water DepartmentSomerset, MA18,257
Somerville Water Department (MWRA)Somerville, MA81,322
South Hadley FD #1 (MWRA)South Hadley, MA14,000
Southborough DPW Water Division (MWRA)Southborough, MA10,401
Southbridge Water DepartmentSouthbridge, MA15,287
Springfield Water and Sewer CommissionSpringfield, MA230,331
Stoneham Water Department (MWRA Supply)Stoneham, MA21,437
Stoughton Water Department (MWRA)Stoughton, MA26,962
Sudbury Water DistrictSudbury, MA18,410
Swampscott Water Department (MWRA)Swampscott, MA13,787
Swansea Water DistrictSwansea, MA17,358
Taunton Water DivisionTaunton, MA58,088
Tewksbury Water DepartmentTewksbury, MA30,435
Uxbridge DPW Water DivisionUxbridge, MA10,715
Wakefield Water Department (MWRA)Wakefield, MA24,932
Walpole Water DepartmentWalpole, MA23,989
Waltham Water Department (MWRA)Waltham, MA60,630
Wannacomet Water CompanyNantucket, MA27,703
Wareham Fire DistrictWareham, MA20,830
Watertown Water Department (MWRA)Watertown, MA31,915
Wayland Water DepartmentWayland, MA14,430
Webster Water DepartmentWebster, MA16,767
Weir River Water SystemHingham, MA41,082
Wellesley Water Division (MWRA)Wellesley, MA29,100
West Springfield Dpw Water DivisionWest Springfield, MA28,391
Westborough Water DepartmentWestborough, MA18,272
Westfield Water DepartmentWestfield, MA42,000
Westford Water DepartmentWestford, MA18,000
Weston Water Department (MWRA)Weston, MA11,486
Weymouth Water DepartmentWeymouth, MA53,925
Whitman Water SystemWhitman, MA14,574
Wilmington Water DepartmentWilmington, MA22,325
Winchester Water Department (MWRA)Winchester, MA22,800
Winthrop Water Division, (MWRA)Winthrop, MA17,497
Woburn Water Department (MWRA)Woburn, MA38,120
Worcester Department of Public WorksWorcester, MA181,045
Wrentham Water DivisionWrentham, MA11,686
Yarmouth Water DepartmentWest Yarmouth, MA39,635

Utilities that accumulated/accrued the most violation points as of July 2021 to June 2024 in Massachusetts

The Environmental Protection Agency's Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) database collects compliance and enforcement-related information for drinking water utilities nationwide. ECHO water quality violation scores take into account federal health-based water quality standards, as well as monitoring, reporting and other drinking water quality requirements. Points are accrued based on specific problems at the utility - violations of health-based drinking water standards receive more points than monitoring and reporting violations - and the length of time until the violations were corrected.

UtilityLocationPeople ServedViolation Points
Mount St. Marys AbbeyWrentham, MA6058
Somerset Water DepartmentSomerset, MA18,25750
Kings Grant Water Company Inc.North Attleborough, MA43445
Dartmouth Water DivisionDartmouth, MA24,27231
Norton Water DepartmentNorton, MA19,03126
Andrews Farm Water Company Inc.Boxford, MA14524
Scituate Water DivisionScituate, MA19,68820
Chester Water DepartmentChester, MA75016
Reading Water DepartmentReading, MA27,04515
Monroe Water DistrictMonroe, MA5514
Mill River Water Takers AssociationMill River, MA6014
South Royalston Improvement CorporationRoyalston, MA27514
Pine Hill VillageTyngsborough, MA6014
Andover Water DepartmentAndover, MA33,20113
North Reading Water DepartmentNorth Reading, MA15,50011
Yarmouth Water DepartmentWest Yarmouth, MA39,63511
Colonial Water CompanyDover, MA1,80911
Mci BridgewaterBridgewater, MA2,80211
Swansea Water DistrictSwansea, MA17,35810
Dighton Water DistrictNorth Dighton, MA4,70910
Hudson Water SupplyHudson, MA18,40610
Hanover Water DepartmentHanover, MA14,89910
Plainville Water DepartmentPlainville, MA8,96410
Tewksbury HospitalTewksbury, MA2,50010
Billerica Water WorksBillerica, MA40,24310
Tisbury Water WorksTisbury, MA6,0829
Springdale Farms (colonial)Dover, MA1307
Toria Heights CondominiumOxford, MA607
Grafton Water DistrictGrafton, MA10,7037
Long Pond Realty TrustPlymouth, MA1406

Large utilities that accumulated/accrued the most violation points as of July 2021 to June 2024 in Massachusetts

The Environmental Protection Agency's Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) database collects compliance and enforcement-related information for drinking water utilities nationwide. ECHO water quality violation scores take into account federal health-based water quality standards, as well as monitoring, reporting and other drinking water quality requirements. Points are accrued based on specific problems at the utility - violations of health-based drinking water standards receive more points than monitoring and reporting violations - and the length of time until the violations were corrected.

UtilityLocationPeople ServedViolation Points
Somerset Water DepartmentSomerset, MA18,25750
Dartmouth Water DivisionDartmouth, MA24,27231
Norton Water DepartmentNorton, MA19,03126
Scituate Water DivisionScituate, MA19,68820
Reading Water DepartmentReading, MA27,04515
Andover Water DepartmentAndover, MA33,20113
Yarmouth Water DepartmentWest Yarmouth, MA39,63511
North Reading Water DepartmentNorth Reading, MA15,50011
Swansea Water DistrictSwansea, MA17,35810
Billerica Water WorksBillerica, MA40,24310
Hudson Water SupplyHudson, MA18,40610
Hanover Water DepartmentHanover, MA14,89910
Grafton Water DistrictGrafton, MA10,7037
Ipswich DPU Water DepartmentIpswich, MA13,1276
Longmeadow Water DepartmentLongmeadow, MA15,7016
Springfield Water and Sewer CommissionSpringfield, MA230,3316
Concord Water DepartmentConcord, MA16,4025
Burlington Water DepartmentBurlington, MA25,3925
Boston Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA)Boston, MA617,5945
Abington/rockland Joint Water WorksRockland, MA33,8875
Melrose Water Department (MWRA)Melrose, MA28,3675
Agawam Water DepartmentAgawam, MA28,8495
Sudbury Water DistrictSudbury, MA18,4103
Malden Water Division (MWRA)Malden, MA59,4503
Bridgewater Water DepartmentBridgewater, MA26,5633
Lawrence Water WorksLawrence, MA76,3772
Revere Water Department (MWRA)Revere, MA51,7552
Brewster Water DepartmentBrewster, MA35,0002
Holbrook Public Works DepartmentHolbrook, MA10,7912
Bellingham Dpw Water Sewer Div.Bellingham, MA15,3901

Contaminants found in Massachusetts above health guidelines

Found above health guidelines Found
Contaminant # of Utilities People Served # of Utilities People Served
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)3456,434,8213466,450,874
Bromodichloromethane3446,326,2253586,455,784
Haloacetic acids (HAA5)3116,287,9793136,315,296
Chloroform2916,176,5423786,609,147
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)3936,008,3434156,445,409
Dichloroacetic acid2775,960,5062906,175,080
Dibromochloromethane3195,844,7543526,407,434
Haloacetic acids (HAA9)1815,807,3541815,807,354
Trichloroacetic acid2575,727,8312655,922,442
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS)3124,058,1303124,058,130
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)2733,565,1963966,132,300
Dibromoacetic acid2003,241,8392233,823,479
Chromium (hexavalent)1343,164,3921824,831,949
Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)1803,096,0251843,156,736
Nitrate2842,787,5374736,347,507
Radium, combined (-226 & -228)1691,656,5751911,898,672
Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)45769,778541,007,322
Bromoform47624,8942213,216,850
Arsenic85618,38185618,381
Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)29516,07044724,266
Manganese41261,2904546,645,087
Chlorite6249,99813463,454
Chlorate10223,6651735,268,598
Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)10157,90614196,438
Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)16138,24429368,061
Bromate4105,5376225,129
Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)9103,41213160,968
Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)8101,79215234,731
1,2,3-Trichloropropane577,274577,274
Radon1826,1401826,140
Cadmium425,8229125,111
Perchlorate125,3922732,678,934
Trichloroethylene220,748890,832
Uranium, combined (pCi/L)2418,7572880,787
Bromochloromethane24,6745110,412
N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (N-EtFOSAA)14001161,647,478
Benzene164164

Contaminants found in Massachusetts above legal limits

Contaminant # of Utilities People Served

What filter type is right for you?

Water
Contaminants

view utility

Carbon Filters

Can reduce the levels of many common contaminants.

pros

  • Lower upfront cost
  • Reduced maintenance

cons

  • Does not remove all contaminants

Reverse Osmosis

Most effective at reducing contaminants.

pros

  • Most effective

cons

  • Higher upfront cost
  • Requires more maintenance
  • Wastes water

Other Considerations

Ion Exchange

Pros: Softens hard water, Reduces some contaminants

Cons: Doesn't remove all contaminants

Whole-House Filters

Pros: Useful for reducing radiologicals and TCE

Cons: Expensive to install and maintain, Risk of bacterial contamination

Distillation

Pros: Removes heavy metals and harmful microbes

Cons: Does not reduce most contaminants

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