Middlesex Water Quality Report
49 cities ranked · Average grade: B · Massachusetts
Avg Score
77.1
Cities Ranked
49
Health Violations
49
PFAS Detected
29
77.1
County avg score
49
Cities ranked
84%
A or B grade
6%
D or F grade
49
Health violations
29
PFAS detected
Grade Distribution
How Middlesex cities scored
A
12
24%
Excellent
B
29
59%
Good
C
5
10%
Fair
D
1
2%
Poor
F
2
4%
Failing
Comparison
County vs Massachusetts average
▼ 2.2 pts below state average
City Map
Water quality across Middlesex
Each dot is a city, colored by grade. Click any city to view its full report.
Highlights
Top & bottom cities in Middlesex
County context
14
Superfund sites in Middlesex
87.6%
of residents on fluoridated water (CDC, 2020)
1,735
lbs/yr to surface water · top 10 TRI facilities
Industrial pollution
Top industrial polluters in Middlesex
Industrial polluters nearby
Facilities reporting the most surface-water releases in Middlesex, 2023.
Total reported releases to surface water: 1,735 lbs
| Facility | Top chemical | To surface water (lbs/yr) |
|---|---|---|
HOLLINGSWORTH & VOSE CO WEST GROTON GROTON, MA01450 | Ammonia | 1,735 |
NASOYA FOODS USA LLC. AYER, MA01432 | — | — |
AMERICAN SUPERCONDUCTOR AYER, MA01432 | — | — |
MSI TRANSDUCERS CORP LITTLETON, MA01460 | — | — |
ASTRON INC PEPPERELL, MA01463 | — | — |
+ 5 more facilities
Source: EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) 2023
Superfund sites
Superfund sites in Middlesex
Superfund sites nearby
Federally tracked hazardous-waste sites within Middlesex on the EPA National Priorities List.
- CHARLES GEORGE RECLAMATION TRUST LANDFILL
- FORT DEVENS
- HANSCOM FIELD HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE
- INDUSTRI PLEX
- IRON HORSE PARK
+ 9 more sites
Source: EPA Superfund National Priorities List
Full Rankings
All 49 cities in Middlesex
| # | City | Grade | Score | Score | Population | Violations | Issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weston | A- | 89.8 | 12K | 20 | Health Unresolved | |
| 2 | Ashland | A- | 89.5 | 19K | 19 | Health Unresolved | |
| 3 | Littleton | A- | 89.5 | 10K | 27 | Health Unresolved | |
| 4 | Marlborough | A- | 88.3 | 42K | 22 | Health Unresolved | |
| 5 | Wilmington | A- | 86.9 | 22K | 31 | Health Unresolved | |
| 6 | Framingham | A- | 86.5 | 72K | 6 | Health Unresolved | |
| 7 | Watertown | A- | 86.5 | 35K | 8 | Health Unresolved | |
| 8 | Stoneham | A- | 86.2 | 23K | 18 | Health Unresolved | |
| 9 | Arlington | A- | 85.8 | 46K | 7 | Health Unresolved | |
| 10 | Reading | A- | 85.5 | 27K | 4 | Health Unresolved | |
| 11 | North Reading | A- | 85.5 | 16K | 54 | Health Unresolved | |
| 12 | Waltham | A- | 85.2 | 65K | 15 | Health Unresolved | |
| 13 | Somerville | B+ | 84.8 | 81K | 15 | Health Unresolved | |
| 14 | Lowell | B+ | 84.5 | 115K | 41 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 15 | Natick | B+ | 84.5 | 37K | 116 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 16 | Belmont | B+ | 84.3 | 27K | 7 | Health Unresolved | |
| 17 | Lincoln | B+ | 84.2 | 9K | 63 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 18 | Wayland | B+ | 83.8 | 13K | 58 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 19 | Bedford | B+ | 83.3 | 26K | 96 | Health Unresolved | |
| 20 | Billerica | B+ | 83 | 42K | 34 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 21 | Everett | B+ | 82.3 | 49K | 11 | Health Unresolved | |
| 22 | Concord | B+ | 82.2 | 19K | 14 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 23 | Lexington | B+ | 82.1 | 34K | 10 | Health Unresolved | |
| 24 | Woburn | B+ | 81.5 | 41K | 22 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 25 | Groton | B+ | 81.4 | 7K | 80 | Health Unresolved | |
| 26 | Wakefield | B+ | 81.2 | 27K | 52 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 27 | Cambridge | B+ | 81 | 118K | 67 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 28 | Burlington | B+ | 80.8 | 27K | 157 | Health Unresolved | |
| 29 | Newton | B | 80 | 89K | 54 | Health Unresolved | |
| 30 | Dracut | B | 78.7 | 35K | 120 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 31 | Tewksbury | B | 78.2 | 34K | 142 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 32 | Westford | B | 77.4 | 19K | 40 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 33 | Ayer | B | 77.4 | 15K | 69 | Health Unresolved | |
| 34 | Melrose | B | 77.3 | 29K | 18 | Health Unresolved | |
| 35 | Townsend | B | 75.3 | 7K | 117 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 36 | Chelmsford | B- | 74.2 | 39K | 141 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 37 | Sudbury | B- | 71.7 | 18K | 197 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 38 | Pepperell | B- | 71.2 | 9K | 91 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 39 | Hopkinton | B- | 70.3 | 13K | 170 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 40 | Maynard | B- | 70.3 | 10K | 188 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 41 | Malden | B- | 70.2 | 66K | 24 | Health Lead Unresolved | |
| 42 | Medford | C | 62.6 | 62K | 12 | Health Lead Unresolved | |
| 43 | Shirley | C | 61.8 | 8K | 343 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 44 | Holliston | C- | 59.6 | 16K | 155 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 45 | Winchester | C- | 58 | 23K | 61 | Health Unresolved | |
| 46 | Tyngsborough | C- | 58 | 5K | 450 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 47 | Boxborough | D+ | 50 | 2K | 972 | Health Unresolved | |
| 48 | Acton | F | 42.4 | 21K | 376 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 49 | Hudson | F | 42.2 | 20K | 156 | Health Unresolved |