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Massachusetts Water Quality Report

269 cities tested · Average grade: B · 7.1M people served

Cities Tested
269
Avg Score
79.7
Population Served
7.1M
Avg Grade
B
Live Water Alerts for Massachusetts →
Latest News

Latest water news in Massachusetts

Recent reporting on Massachusetts drinking water — boil-water advisories, regulatory action, and infrastructure events.

Jun 11, 2026

NYC and Northeast Drought Deepens — Massachusetts Escalates to Level 3 Critical

NYC reservoirs sit near 68% vs 83% normal; Massachusetts escalated its Northeast region to Level 3 Critical Drought as the dry pattern held into June 2026.

Read full story →
Analysis

Massachusetts water quality overview

Massachusetts's drinking water quality is good overall, with an average score of 79.7 out of 100 across 269 cities tested. The median score is 82.7, serving a total population of 7,104,409 residents. 84% of cities earned an A or B grade, indicating broadly strong water quality infrastructure across the state. PFAS "forever chemicals" were detected in 137 of 269 cities tested (51%). 103 cities exceed the 2024 EPA maximum contaminant levels. 5 cities have lead levels exceeding the EPA action level of 15 ppb, often indicating aging infrastructure with lead service lines or lead solder. The state relies on a mix of water sources: 127 cities use groundwater while 139 draw from surface water such as rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.

Key Concerns

Issues to watch in Massachusetts

137 cities
PFAS Detected
51% of tested cities have PFAS in their water supply.
5 cities
Lead Exceedances
Lead levels above the EPA action level of 15 ppb (90th percentile).
253 cities
Health Violations
20,525 total violations recorded, 268 with unresolved issues.
9 cities
Failing Systems
Received a grade of F, indicating serious water quality issues.
Contaminant Data

Explore contaminants in Massachusetts

Lead in Massachusetts → Ranked by 90th percentile level (ppb) PFAS in Massachusetts → Ranked by compounds detected Copper in Massachusetts → Ranked by 90th percentile level (mg/L)

More contaminants tested in Massachusetts

HAA5 → Chromium-6 → Arsenic → Nitrate → Strontium → 1,4-Dioxane → Manganese → Vanadium → Chlorate → Molybdenum → Cobalt → Lithium → NDMA → Perchlorate →
State context
33
Superfund sites in Massachusetts
EPA National Priorities List
57.8%
of Massachusetts residents on fluoridated water
CDC, 2020
4,230
lbs released to surface water
Top 10 TRI facilities, 2023
1.6%
of Massachusetts domestic wells exceed EPA arsenic limit
USGS, 185 samples · 10 µg/L MCL
Domestic well chemistry

Private-well water in Massachusetts

Based on USGS Powell Domestic-Well Database — 1,423 private wells sampled across Massachusetts. These wells are not regulated by the EPA; if you draw your tap from a private well, the public-system grade above does not apply to you.

0.7 µg/L
Median arsenic in domestic wells
P90 3.6 µg/L · max 47.9 µg/L
77 µg/L
Median manganese in domestic wells
30.5% exceed 300 µg/L aesthetic limit
Industrial pollution

Top industrial water polluters in Massachusetts

Industrial polluters nearby

The 10 facilities reporting the most pounds released to surface water in Massachusetts, 2023.

Total reported releases to surface water: 4,230 lbs

FacilityTop chemicalTo surface water (lbs/yr)
HOLLINGSWORTH & VOSE CO WEST GROTON
Paper · HOLLINGSWORTH & VOSE CO
GROTON, MA01450
Ammonia1,735
WYMAN-GORDON CO
Fabricated Metals · BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC
NORTH GRAFTON, MA01536
Nickel1,238
ONYX SPECIALTY PAPERS INC. - WILLOW MILL
Paper · NA
SOUTH LEE, MA01260
Formaldehyde1,128
V&S TAUNTON GALVANIZING LLC
Fabricated Metals · VOIGT & SCHWEITZER LLC
TAUNTON, MA02780
Zinc compounds59
IRVING OIL TERMINALS INC.
Petroleum Bulk Terminals · IRVING OIL TERMINALS INC
REVERE, MA02151
Benzene22

+ 5 more facilities

Source: EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) 2023

Test your own tap

Get your Massachusetts water tested

City-level data shows the source and infrastructure picture — but lead and other home-plumbing issues only show up at your tap. Find a state-certified lab, see what to test for, and what it costs.
Grade Distribution

How Massachusetts cities scored

A: 112 B: 113 C: 26 D: 9 F: 9

Best Cities

  1. A+ Adams 96.8
  2. A+ Harwich 95.9
  3. A West Springfield 94.9

Worst Cities

  1. F Milford 38.5
  2. F Wrentham 39.5
  3. F Norfolk 40.7
City Map

Water quality across Massachusetts

Each dot is a city, colored by its water quality grade. Size reflects population served. Click any city to view its full water report.

All Cities

269 cities in Massachusetts

Full rankings →
# City Grade Score Population Violations
1 Adams A+
96.8
8K 7
2 Harwich A+
95.9
39K 5
3 West Springfield A
94.9
29K 16
4 Pembroke A
94.8
18K 22
5 Newbury A
94.8
2K 29
6 Essex A
94.7
4K 40
7 Sandwich A
94.5
79K 37
8 West Newbury A
94.5
3K 6
9 Provincetown A
93.7
22K 11
10 Edgartown A
93.5
8K 11
11 Dennis A
93.2
65K 40
12 Mattapoisett A
93
37K 12
13 Dalton A
93
6K 44
14 Hadley A
92.9
5K 22
15 Easthampton A
92.6
16K 49
16 Williamsburg A
92.5
2K 57
17 Rockport A
92.3
10K 10
18 Douglas A
92.1
4K 47
19 Southborough A
92
11K 6
20 Amesbury A
91.7
17K 28
21 North Andover A
91.5
31K 13
22 Fairhaven A
91.5
14K 10
23 Athol A
91.2
10K 7
24 Chatham A
91.1
30K 68
25 Erving A
91.1
561 6
26 Methuen A
90.7
53K 25
27 Avon A
90.7
5K 81
28 Weymouth A
90.6
59K 31
29 Orange A
90.5
7K 6
30 Southbridge A
90.3
19K 4
31 Gloucester A
90.2
37K 79
32 Shelburne A
90.2
2K 17
33 South Hadley A-
89.8
21K 73
34 Weston A-
89.8
12K 20
35 Hancock A-
89.8
1K 24
36 Eastham A-
89.7
6K 1
37 North Brookfield A-
89.7
4K 38
38 Ashland A-
89.5
19K 19
39 Littleton A-
89.5
10K 27
40 Monson A-
89.5
4K 55
41 Hatfield A-
89.5
3K 34
42 East Longmeadow A-
89.4
16K 9
43 Lanesborough A-
89.4
2K 49
44 Saugus A-
89.2
27K 13
45 Marblehead A-
89.2
20K 8
46 Colchester A-
89.1
663 8
47 Lynn A-
89
101K 12
48 Pittsfield A-
89
44K 105
49 Northbridge A-
89
8K 30
50 Swampscott A-
88.8
15K 10
51 Seekonk A-
88.8
15K 9
52 Clinton A-
88.7
16K 23
53 Brockton A-
88.5
106K 62
54 Northampton A-
88.5
30K 80
55 West Stockbridge A-
88.5
535 8
56 West Bridgewater A-
88.4
8K 76
57 Marlborough A-
88.3
42K 22
58 Williamstown A-
88.3
8K 31
59 Southwick A-
88.2
8K 110
60 Nahant A-
88.1
3K 15
61 Groveland A-
88
7K 38
62 Holyoke A-
87.9
40K 31
63 Hamilton A-
87.9
7K 67
64 Marion A-
87.9
6K 24
65 Paxton A-
87.7
4K 18
66 Wenham A-
87.6
4K 12
67 Beverly A-
87.5
138K 15
68 Salisbury A-
87.5
20K 34
69 Whitman A-
87.5
15K 21
70 Uxbridge A-
87.5
12K 24
71 Wilbraham A-
87.5
9K 9
72 New Bedford A-
87.4
101K 3
73 Mendon A-
87.3
501 90
74 Lenox A-
87.2
10K 1
75 Amherst A-
87
39K 12
76 Walpole A-
87
24K 42
77 Egremont A-
87
1K 41
78 Wilmington A-
86.9
22K 31
79 Chicopee A-
86.8
56K 7
80 Chelsea A-
86.8
38K 19
81 Easton A-
86.8
23K 4
82 Southampton A-
86.8
5K 7
83 Agawam A-
86.7
29K 14
84 Brookline A-
86.6
63K 8
85 Norwood A-
86.6
30K 10
86 Canton A-
86.6
22K 21
87 Framingham A-
86.5
72K 6
88 Watertown A-
86.5
35K 8
89 Winchendon A-
86.5
6K 52
90 Acushnet A-
86.4
8K 94
91 Cheshire A-
86.4
1K 49
92 Russell A-
86.4
1K 34
93 Needham A-
86.3
33K 49
94 Attleboro A-
86.2
47K 16
95 Stoneham A-
86.2
23K 18
96 Newburyport A-
86.2
20K 37
97 Yarmouth A-
86.1
39K 32
98 Greenfield A-
86.1
18K 86
99 Arlington A-
85.8
46K 7
100 Salem A-
85.7
44K 1
101 Reading A-
85.5
27K 4
102 Mansfield A-
85.5
23K 21
103 North Reading A-
85.5
16K 54
104 Lunenburg A-
85.5
7K 13
105 East Brookfield A-
85.4
2K 8
106 Quincy A-
85.2
106K 7
107 Waltham A-
85.2
65K 15
108 Gardner A-
85.2
21K 47
109 Freetown A-
85.2
2K 7
110 Northfield A-
85.2
1K 128
111 Manchester A-
85.1
5K 69
112 Foxborough A-
85
19K 70
113 Somerville B+
84.8
81K 15
114 Oak Bluffs B+
84.8
24K 102
115 Hanson B+
84.6
10K 80
116 Lowell B+
84.5
115K 41
117 Dedham B+
84.5
42K 4
118 Natick B+
84.5
37K 116
119 Norton B+
84.5
19K 15
120 Belmont B+
84.3
27K 7
121 Millis B+
84.3
9K 67
122 Lincoln B+
84.2
6K 63
123 Lee B+
84.2
5K 94
124 Whately B+
83.9
900 12
125 Taunton B+
83.8
62K 67
126 Wayland B+
83.8
13K 58
127 Stockbridge B+
83.5
3K 124
128 Bedford B+
83.3
26K 96
129 Revere B+
83.2
62K 20
130 Billerica B+
83
42K 34
131 Hopedale B+
83
6K 39
132 Springfield B+
82.9
168K 22
133 Westfield B+
82.8
42K 81
134 Andover B+
82.8
37K 4
135 Franklin B+
82.7
33K 21
136 Westminster B+
82.7
4K 91
137 Dudley B+
82.6
6K 162
138 Danvers B+
82.5
28K 36
139 Everett B+
82.3
49K 11
140 Randolph B+
82.3
34K 21
141 Tisbury B+
82.3
6K 35
142 Fitchburg B+
82.2
42K 16
143 Concord B+
82.2
19K 14
144 Lexington B+
82.1
34K 10
145 Holbrook B+
82.1
11K 19
146 Topsfield B+
82.1
5K 51
147 Sturbridge B+
82.1
5K 83
148 Shrewsbury B+
82
38K 9
149 Swansea B+
82
17K 15
150 Ashburnham B+
82
15K 100
151 Raynham B+
81.8
15K 5
152 East Bridgewater B+
81.8
15K 59
153 Blackstone B+
81.6
10K 78
154 Woburn B+
81.5
41K 22
155 Duxbury B+
81.5
16K 12
156 Lawrence B+
81.4
89K 183
157 Groton B+
81.4
7K 80
158 Wakefield B+
81.2
27K 52
159 Bolton B+
81.1
923 42
160 Cambridge B+
81
118K 67
161 Medfield B+
80.9
13K 86
162 Milton B+
80.8
29K 8
163 Burlington B+
80.8
27K 157
164 Winthrop B+
80.8
19K 11
165 Brewster B+
80.7
35K 28
166 Worthington B+
80.4
565 7
167 Newton B
80
88K 54
168 Norwell B+
80
11K 14
169 Templeton B+
80
6K 138
170 Northborough B
79.8
14K 217
171 Bernardston B
79.8
1K 214
172 Boylston B
79.5
3K 108
173 West Boylston B
79.4
7K 79
174 Rowley B
79.4
6K 74
175 Braintree B
79.1
39K 79
176 Ware B
79.1
10K 155
177 Brookfield B
79.1
1K 288
178 Falmouth B
79
98K 40
179 Worcester B
78.9
207K 16
180 Holden B
78.8
18K 67
181 North Adams B
78.8
13K 190
182 Dracut B
78.7
35K 120
183 Sunderland B
78.7
3K 237
184 Tewksbury B
78.2
34K 142
185 Abington B
78.1
34K 17
186 Sutton B
78.1
3K 152
187 Merrimac B
78
7K 208
188 Spencer B
78
7K 113
189 Middleton B
77.9
7K 9
190 Peabody B
77.8
54K 116
191 Sterling B
77.8
7K 110
192 Mashpee B
77.5
37K 110
193 Stoughton B
77.5
29K 23
194 Westford B
77.4
19K 40
195 Ayer B
77.4
8K 69
196 Melrose B
77.3
29K 18
197 Leominster B
77.2
42K 138
198 Wareham B
77.2
21K 65
199 Somerset B
76.9
18K 24
200 Cohasset B
76.9
8K 48
201 Boston B
76.8
676K 10
202 Palmer B
76.4
5K 87
203 Ipswich B
76.2
13K 50
204 Webster B
76
18K 105
205 Wellesley B
75.8
33K 29
206 Longmeadow B
75.8
16K 28
207 Plainville B
75.8
9K 29
208 Orleans B
75.6
19K 36
209 Middleborough B
75.5
16K 108
210 Townsend B
75.3
7K 117
211 Lynnfield B
75.2
13K 118
212 Bourne B-
74.8
8K 76
213 Marshfield B-
74.2
34K 68
214 Chelmsford B-
74.2
32K 141
215 Bellingham B-
74
16K 38
216 Fall River B-
73.9
94K 55
217 Lancaster B-
72.8
6K 48
218 Medway B-
72
13K 240
219 Sudbury B-
71.7
18K 197
220 West Brookfield B-
71.3
3K 261
221 Pepperell B-
71.2
9K 91
222 Belchertown B-
70.9
4K 211
223 Hopkinton B-
70.3
13K 170
224 Maynard B-
70.3
10K 188
225 Malden B-
70.2
66K 24
226 Wellfleet C+
69.8
915 192
227 Hingham C+
69.5
46K 35
228 Bridgewater C+
69
29K 44
229 Deerfield C+
68.7
2K 222
230 Hinsdale C+
68.5
2K 308
231 Great Barrington C+
68.4
6K 136
232 Georgetown C+
68.2
9K 89
233 Warren C+
68.1
2K 369
234 Halifax C+
67.8
8K 50
235 Dartmouth C+
66.5
25K 21
236 Huntington C+
66.3
2K 38
237 Barre C
64.9
4K 132
238 Millbury C
64.7
12K 52
239 Haverhill C
64.2
63K 73
240 Chester C
63.8
750 143
241 Kingston C
63.5
15K 80
242 Medford C
62.6
62K 12
243 Scituate C
61.9
19K 67
244 Shirley C
61.8
4K 343
245 Upton C
61.7
4K 119
246 Holliston C-
59.6
16K 155
247 Carver C-
59.3
2K 209
248 Winchester C-
58
23K 61
249 Tyngsborough C-
58
5K 450
250 Rutland C-
56.6
6K 417
251 Hanover C-
56.2
15K 42
252 Auburn D+
54.9
15K 309
253 Sharon D+
54.3
17K 37
254 Chilmark D+
54.1
930 146
255 Dighton D+
52.1
106K 54
256 Barnstable D+
51.5
5K 136
257 Boxborough D+
50
963 972
258 Westborough D
48.6
22K 81
259 Nantucket D
47
31K 214
260 Leicester D
45.9
5K 361
261 Harvard F
44
2K 369
262 Plymouth F
43.4
47K 294
263 North Attleborough F
42.4
29K 243
264 Acton F
42.4
21K 376
265 Hudson F
42.2
20K 156
266 Grafton F
41.8
11K 203
267 Norfolk F
40.7
8K 181
268 Wrentham F
39.5
13K 187
269 Milford F
38.5
30K 226
Counties

Browse Massachusetts counties

Barnstable 14 cities · avg 82.4 Berkshire 15 cities · avg 85.3 Bristol 17 cities · avg 78.9 Chittenden 1 city · avg 89.1 Dukes 4 cities · avg 78.7 Essex 33 cities · avg 85 Franklin 9 cities · avg 83.8 Hampden 14 cities · avg 84.2 Hampshire 12 cities · avg 84.7 Middlesex 49 cities · avg 77.1 Nantucket 1 city · avg 47 Norfolk 26 cities · avg 78 Plymouth 22 cities · avg 75.6 Suffolk 4 cities · avg 81.9 Worcester 48 cities · avg 76.1
ZIP Codes

Browse Massachusetts by ZIP code

Look up water quality by ZIP code to find the systems serving your area.

View all Massachusetts ZIP codes →
FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Massachusetts's water

Is Massachusetts's tap water safe to drink?

Massachusetts's water quality varies by city. The statewide average grade is B (79.7/100). 84% of cities scored an A or B, while 7% received a D or F. Check your specific city for detailed results.

Which Massachusetts cities have the best water quality?

The top-rated cities are Adams (A+), Harwich (A+), West Springfield (A). These cities scored highest based on violation history, lead levels, PFAS contamination, and regulatory compliance.

Which Massachusetts cities have the worst water quality?

The lowest-rated cities are Milford (F), Wrentham (F), Norfolk (F). We recommend residents in these areas consider water filtration and review their city's specific contaminant data.

How many Massachusetts cities have PFAS in their water?

137 out of 269 cities tested positive for PFAS "forever chemicals" (51%). 103 cities exceed the 2024 EPA maximum contaminant levels. Reverse osmosis or activated carbon filters can help reduce PFAS exposure.

Do any Massachusetts cities have dangerous lead levels?

5 cities exceed the EPA lead action level of 15 ppb. Lead contamination typically comes from aging pipes and lead service lines rather than the water source itself. An NSF 53-certified filter can effectively remove lead from tap water.

Water quality resources

Guide
How to Read Your Water Quality Report
Read guide →
Guide
Lead in Drinking Water
Read guide →
Guide
PFAS Forever Chemicals Explained
Read guide →
News
Latest Water Quality News
View all →
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