Worcester Water Quality Report
51 cities ranked · Average grade: B · Massachusetts
Avg Score
75.5
Cities Ranked
51
Health Violations
50
PFAS Detected
23
75.5
County avg score
51
Cities ranked
73%
A or B grade
12%
D or F grade
50
Health violations
23
PFAS detected
Grade Distribution
How Worcester cities scored
A
14
27%
Excellent
B
23
45%
Good
C
8
16%
Fair
D
3
6%
Poor
F
3
6%
Failing
Comparison
County vs Massachusetts average
▼ 3.8 pts below state average
City Map
Water quality across Worcester
Each dot is a city, colored by grade. Click any city to view its full report.
Highlights
Top & bottom cities in Worcester
County context
1
Superfund site in Worcester
31.3%
of residents on fluoridated water (CDC, 2020)
1,265
lbs/yr to surface water · top 10 TRI facilities
Industrial pollution
Top industrial polluters in Worcester
Industrial polluters nearby
Facilities reporting the most surface-water releases in Worcester, 2023.
Total reported releases to surface water: 1,265 lbs
| Facility | Top chemical | To surface water (lbs/yr) |
|---|---|---|
WYMAN-GORDON CO NORTH GRAFTON, MA01536 | Nickel | 1,238 |
VIBRAM CORP NORTH BROOKFIELD, MA01535 | Zinc compounds | 10 |
S&E SPECIALTY POLYMERS LLC LUNENBURG, MA01462 | Antimony compounds | 5 |
TEKNOR APEX ELASTOMERS INC. LEOMINSTER, MA01453 | Zinc compounds | 4 |
WYMAN-GORDON CO WORCESTER, MA01608 | Cobalt | 3 |
+ 5 more facilities
Source: EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) 2023
Superfund sites
Superfund sites in Worcester
Superfund sites nearby
Federally tracked hazardous-waste sites within Worcester on the EPA National Priorities List.
- HOCOMONCO POND
Source: EPA Superfund National Priorities List
Full Rankings
All 51 cities in Worcester
| # | City | Grade | Score | Score | Population | Violations | Issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Douglas | A | 92.1 | 4K | 47 | Health Unresolved | |
| 2 | Southborough | A | 92 | 11K | 6 | Health Unresolved | |
| 3 | Athol | A | 91.2 | 10K | 7 | Health Unresolved | |
| 4 | Southbridge | A | 90.3 | 19K | 4 | Health Unresolved | |
| 5 | North Brookfield | A- | 89.7 | 4K | 38 | Health Unresolved | |
| 6 | Clinton | A- | 88.7 | 16K | 23 | Health Unresolved | |
| 7 | Northbridge | A- | 88.5 | 16K | 30 | Health Unresolved | |
| 8 | Paxton | A- | 87.7 | 4K | 18 | Health Unresolved | |
| 9 | Uxbridge | A- | 87.5 | 12K | 24 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 10 | Mendon | A- | 87.3 | 501 | 90 | Health Unresolved | |
| 11 | Winchendon | A- | 86.5 | 6K | 52 | Health Unresolved | |
| 12 | Lunenburg | A- | 85.5 | 7K | 13 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 13 | East Brookfield | A- | 85.4 | 2K | 8 | Health Unresolved | |
| 14 | Gardner | A- | 85.2 | 21K | 47 | Health Unresolved | |
| 15 | Hopedale | B+ | 83 | 6K | 39 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 16 | Westminster | B+ | 82.7 | 4K | 91 | Health Unresolved | |
| 17 | Dudley | B+ | 82.6 | 6K | 162 | Health Unresolved | |
| 18 | Fitchburg | B+ | 82.2 | 42K | 16 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 19 | Sturbridge | B+ | 82.1 | 5K | 83 | Health Unresolved | |
| 20 | Shrewsbury | B+ | 82 | 38K | 9 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 21 | Ashburnham | B+ | 82 | 15K | 100 | Health Unresolved | |
| 22 | Blackstone | B+ | 81.6 | 10K | 78 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 23 | Bolton | B+ | 81.1 | 1K | 42 | Health Unresolved | |
| 24 | Templeton | B+ | 80 | 6K | 138 | PFAS Unresolved | |
| 25 | Northborough | B | 79.8 | 14K | 217 | Health Unresolved | |
| 26 | Boylston | B | 79.5 | 3K | 108 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 27 | West Boylston | B | 79.4 | 7K | 79 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 28 | Brookfield | B | 79.1 | 1K | 288 | Health Unresolved | |
| 29 | Worcester | B | 78.9 | 207K | 16 | Health Unresolved | |
| 30 | Holden | B | 78.8 | 18K | 67 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 31 | Sutton | B | 78.1 | 3K | 152 | Health Unresolved | |
| 32 | Spencer | B | 78 | 7K | 113 | Health Unresolved | |
| 33 | Sterling | B | 77.8 | 7K | 110 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 34 | Leominster | B | 77.2 | 42K | 138 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 35 | Webster | B | 76 | 18K | 105 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 36 | Lancaster | B- | 72.8 | 6K | 48 | Health Lead Unresolved | |
| 37 | West Brookfield | B- | 71.3 | 3K | 261 | Health Unresolved | |
| 38 | Oxford | C+ | 69.8 | 8K | 109 | Health Unresolved | |
| 39 | Warren | C+ | 68.1 | 3K | 369 | Health Unresolved | |
| 40 | Hardwick | C+ | 65 | 2K | 146 | Health Lead Unresolved | |
| 41 | Barre | C | 64.9 | 4K | 132 | Health Unresolved | |
| 42 | Millbury | C | 64.7 | 12K | 52 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 43 | Upton | C | 61.7 | 5K | 119 | Health Unresolved | |
| 44 | Berlin | C | 60.4 | 2K | 416 | Health Unresolved | |
| 45 | Rutland | C- | 56.6 | 6K | 417 | Health Unresolved | |
| 46 | Auburn | D+ | 54.9 | 15K | 309 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 47 | Westborough | D | 48.6 | 22K | 81 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 48 | Leicester | D | 45.9 | 9K | 361 | Health Unresolved | |
| 49 | Harvard | F | 44 | 2K | 369 | Health Unresolved | |
| 50 | Grafton | F | 41.8 | 14K | 203 | Health PFAS Unresolved | |
| 51 | Milford | F | 38.5 | 30K | 226 | Health PFAS Unresolved |