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Massachusetts Water Quality Report

280 cities tested · Average grade: B · 10.0M people served

Cities Tested
280
Avg Score
79.3
Population Served
10.0M
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.

May 16, 2026

NYC and Northeast Slide Deeper Into Drought — Reservoirs at 68%, Massachusetts Hits Level 2

NYC reservoirs sit at 67.8% versus 83% normal as Massachusetts declares Level 2 drought across four regions after the driest April since 2010.

Read full story →
Analysis

Massachusetts water quality overview

Massachusetts's drinking water quality is good overall, with an average score of 79.3 out of 100 across 280 cities tested. The median score is 82.3, serving a total population of 10,045,705 residents. 82% of cities earned an A or B grade, indicating broadly strong water quality infrastructure across the state. PFAS "forever chemicals" were detected in 138 of 280 cities tested (49%). 103 cities exceed the 2024 EPA maximum contaminant levels. 8 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: 137 cities use groundwater while 141 draw from surface water such as rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.

Key Concerns

Issues to watch in Massachusetts

138 cities
PFAS Detected
49% of tested cities have PFAS in their water supply.
8 cities
Lead Exceedances
Lead levels above the EPA action level of 15 ppb (90th percentile).
263 cities
Health Violations
22,218 total violations recorded, 279 with unresolved issues.
10 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: 114 B: 115 C: 32 D: 9 F: 10

Best Cities

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

Worst Cities

  1. F Lee 36.1
  2. F Milford 38.5
  3. F Wrentham 39.5
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

280 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 Montague A
91.5
9K 46
24 Athol A
91.2
10K 7
25 Chatham A
91.1
30K 68
26 Erving A
91.1
561 6
27 Methuen A
90.7
53K 25
28 Avon A
90.7
5K 81
29 Weymouth A
90.6
59K 31
30 Orange A
90.5
7K 6
31 Southbridge A
90.3
19K 4
32 Gloucester A
90.2
37K 79
33 Shelburne A
90.2
2K 17
34 South Hadley A-
89.8
21K 73
35 Weston A-
89.8
12K 20
36 Hancock A-
89.8
1K 24
37 Eastham A-
89.7
6K 1
38 North Brookfield A-
89.7
4K 38
39 Ashland A-
89.5
19K 19
40 Littleton A-
89.5
10K 27
41 Monson A-
89.5
4K 55
42 Hatfield A-
89.5
3K 34
43 East Longmeadow A-
89.4
16K 9
44 Lanesborough A-
89.4
2K 49
45 Saugus A-
89.2
27K 13
46 Marblehead A-
89.2
20K 8
47 Colchester A-
89.1
663 8
48 Lynn A-
89
101K 12
49 Pittsfield A-
89
44K 105
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 Northbridge A-
88.5
16K 30
56 West Stockbridge A-
88.5
535 8
57 West Bridgewater A-
88.4
8K 76
58 Marlborough A-
88.3
42K 22
59 Williamstown A-
88.3
8K 31
60 Southwick A-
88.2
8K 110
61 Nahant A-
88.1
3K 15
62 Groveland A-
88
7K 38
63 Holyoke A-
87.9
40K 31
64 Hamilton A-
87.9
7K 67
65 Marion A-
87.9
6K 24
66 Paxton A-
87.7
4K 18
67 Wenham A-
87.6
4K 12
68 Beverly A-
87.5
138K 15
69 Salisbury A-
87.5
20K 34
70 Whitman A-
87.5
15K 21
71 Uxbridge A-
87.5
12K 24
72 Wilbraham A-
87.5
9K 9
73 New Bedford A-
87.4
101K 3
74 Mendon A-
87.3
501 90
75 Lenox A-
87.2
10K 1
76 Amherst A-
87
39K 12
77 Walpole A-
87
24K 42
78 Egremont A-
87
1K 41
79 Wilmington A-
86.9
22K 31
80 Chicopee A-
86.8
56K 7
81 Chelsea A-
86.8
38K 19
82 Easton A-
86.8
23K 4
83 Southampton A-
86.8
5K 7
84 Agawam A-
86.7
29K 14
85 Brookline A-
86.6
63K 8
86 Norwood A-
86.6
30K 10
87 Canton A-
86.6
22K 21
88 Framingham A-
86.5
72K 6
89 Watertown A-
86.5
35K 8
90 Winchendon A-
86.5
6K 52
91 Acushnet A-
86.4
9K 94
92 Cheshire A-
86.4
2K 49
93 Russell A-
86.4
1K 34
94 Needham A-
86.3
33K 49
95 Attleboro A-
86.2
47K 16
96 Stoneham A-
86.2
23K 18
97 Newburyport A-
86.2
20K 37
98 Yarmouth A-
86.1
39K 32
99 Greenfield A-
86.1
18K 86
100 Arlington A-
85.8
46K 7
101 Salem A-
85.7
45K 1
102 Reading A-
85.5
27K 4
103 Mansfield A-
85.5
23K 21
104 North Reading A-
85.5
16K 54
105 Lunenburg A-
85.5
7K 13
106 East Brookfield A-
85.4
2K 8
107 Quincy A-
85.2
106K 7
108 Waltham A-
85.2
65K 15
109 Gardner A-
85.2
21K 47
110 Freetown A-
85.2
2K 7
111 Northfield A-
85.2
1K 128
112 Manchester A-
85.1
5K 69
113 Gill A-
85.1
1K 7
114 Foxborough A-
85
19K 70
115 Somerville B+
84.8
81K 15
116 Oak Bluffs B+
84.8
24K 102
117 Hanson B+
84.6
10K 80
118 Lowell B+
84.5
115K 41
119 Dedham B+
84.5
42K 4
120 Natick B+
84.5
37K 116
121 Norton B+
84.5
19K 15
122 Belmont B+
84.3
27K 7
123 Millis B+
84.3
9K 67
124 Lincoln B+
84.2
9K 63
125 Lee B+
84.2
6K 94
126 Whately B+
83.9
900 12
127 Taunton B+
83.8
62K 67
128 Wayland B+
83.8
13K 58
129 Stockbridge B+
83.5
3K 124
130 Bedford B+
83.3
26K 96
131 Revere B+
83.2
62K 20
132 Billerica B+
83
42K 34
133 Hopedale B+
83
6K 39
134 Springfield B+
82.9
168K 22
135 Westfield B+
82.8
42K 81
136 Andover B+
82.8
37K 4
137 Franklin B+
82.7
33K 21
138 Westminster B+
82.7
4K 91
139 Dudley B+
82.6
6K 162
140 Danvers B+
82.5
28K 36
141 Randolph B+
82.3
80K 21
142 Everett B+
82.3
49K 11
143 Tisbury B+
82.3
6K 35
144 Fitchburg B+
82.2
42K 16
145 Concord B+
82.2
19K 14
146 Lexington B+
82.1
34K 10
147 Holbrook B+
82.1
11K 19
148 Topsfield B+
82.1
5K 51
149 Sturbridge B+
82.1
5K 83
150 Shrewsbury B+
82
38K 9
151 Swansea B+
82
17K 15
152 Ashburnham B+
82
15K 100
153 Raynham B+
81.8
15K 5
154 East Bridgewater B+
81.8
15K 59
155 Blackstone B+
81.6
10K 78
156 Woburn B+
81.5
41K 22
157 Duxbury B+
81.5
16K 12
158 Lawrence B+
81.4
89K 183
159 Groton B+
81.4
7K 80
160 Wakefield B+
81.2
27K 52
161 Bolton B+
81.1
1K 42
162 Cambridge B+
81
118K 67
163 Medfield B+
80.9
13K 86
164 Milton B+
80.8
29K 8
165 Burlington B+
80.8
27K 157
166 Winthrop B+
80.8
19K 11
167 Brewster B+
80.7
35K 28
168 Worthington B+
80.4
565 7
169 Newton B
80
89K 54
170 Norwell B+
80
11K 14
171 Templeton B+
80
6K 138
172 Northborough B
79.8
14K 217
173 Bernardston B
79.8
1K 214
174 Boylston B
79.5
3K 108
175 West Boylston B
79.4
7K 79
176 Rowley B
79.4
6K 74
177 Braintree B
79.1
39K 79
178 Ware B
79.1
10K 155
179 Brookfield B
79.1
1K 288
180 Falmouth B
79
104K 40
181 Worcester B
78.9
207K 16
182 Holden B
78.8
18K 67
183 North Adams B
78.8
13K 190
184 Dracut B
78.7
35K 120
185 Sunderland B
78.7
4K 237
186 Tewksbury B
78.2
34K 142
187 Abington B
78.1
34K 17
188 Sutton B
78.1
3K 152
189 Merrimac B
78
7K 208
190 Spencer B
78
7K 113
191 Middleton B
77.9
7K 9
192 Peabody B
77.8
54K 116
193 Sterling B
77.8
7K 110
194 Mashpee B
77.5
37K 110
195 Stoughton B
77.5
29K 23
196 Westford B
77.4
19K 40
197 Ayer B
77.4
15K 69
198 Melrose B
77.3
29K 18
199 Leominster B
77.2
42K 138
200 Wareham B
77.2
27K 65
201 Somerset B
76.9
18K 24
202 Cohasset B
76.9
8K 48
203 Boston B
76.8
3.3M 10
204 Westport B
76.7
615 122
205 Palmer B
76.4
11K 87
206 Ipswich B
76.2
13K 50
207 Webster B
76
18K 105
208 Granby B
75.9
727 226
209 Wellesley B
75.8
33K 29
210 Longmeadow B
75.8
16K 28
211 Plainville B
75.8
9K 29
212 Orleans B
75.6
19K 36
213 Middleborough B
75.5
16K 108
214 Townsend B
75.3
7K 117
215 Lynnfield B
75.2
13K 118
216 Bourne B-
74.8
36K 76
217 Chelmsford B-
74.2
39K 141
218 Marshfield B-
74.2
34K 68
219 Bellingham B-
74
16K 38
220 Fall River B-
73.9
94K 55
221 Lancaster B-
72.8
6K 48
222 Medway B-
72
13K 240
223 Sudbury B-
71.7
18K 197
224 West Brookfield B-
71.3
3K 261
225 Pepperell B-
71.2
9K 91
226 Belchertown B-
70.9
4K 211
227 Hopkinton B-
70.3
13K 170
228 Maynard B-
70.3
10K 188
229 Malden B-
70.2
66K 24
230 Oxford C+
69.8
8K 109
231 Wellfleet C+
69.8
1K 192
232 Hingham C+
69.5
46K 35
233 Preble (T) C+
69.2
520 234
234 Bridgewater C+
69
31K 44
235 Hinsdale C+
68.5
2K 308
236 Great Barrington C+
68.4
6K 136
237 Atkinson C+
68.4
507 109
238 Georgetown C+
68.2
9K 89
239 Warren C+
68.1
3K 369
240 Halifax C+
67.8
8K 50
241 Deerfield C+
67.7
6K 222
242 Dartmouth C+
66.5
25K 21
243 Huntington C+
66.3
2K 38
244 Hardwick C+
65
2K 146
245 Barre C
64.9
4K 132
246 Dover C
64.8
2K 98
247 Millbury C
64.7
12K 52
248 Haverhill C
64.2
63K 73
249 Chester C
63.8
750 143
250 Kingston C
63.5
15K 80
251 Medford C
62.6
62K 12
252 Scituate C
61.9
19K 67
253 Shirley C
61.8
8K 343
254 Upton C
61.7
5K 119
255 Berlin C
60.4
2K 416
256 Holliston C-
59.6
16K 155
257 Carver C-
59.3
2K 209
258 Winchester C-
58
23K 61
259 Tyngsborough C-
58
5K 450
260 Rutland C-
56.6
6K 417
261 Hanover C-
56.2
15K 42
262 Auburn D+
54.9
15K 309
263 Sharon D+
54.3
17K 37
264 Chilmark D+
54.1
930 146
265 Dighton D+
52.1
112K 54
266 Barnstable D+
51.5
95K 136
267 Boxborough D+
50
2K 972
268 Westborough D
48.6
22K 81
269 Nantucket D
47
31K 214
270 Leicester D
45.9
9K 361
271 Harvard F
44
2K 369
272 Plymouth F
43.4
61K 294
273 North Attleborough F
42.4
29K 243
274 Acton F
42.4
21K 376
275 Hudson F
42.2
20K 156
276 Grafton F
41.8
14K 203
277 Norfolk F
40.7
10K 181
278 Wrentham F
39.5
13K 187
279 Milford F
38.5
30K 226
280 Lee F
36.1
654 180
Counties

Browse Massachusetts counties

Barnstable 14 cities · avg 82.4 Berkshire 15 cities · avg 85.3 Bristol 18 cities · avg 78.8 Chittenden 1 city · avg 89.1 Cortland 1 city · avg 69.2 Dukes 4 cities · avg 78.7 Essex 33 cities · avg 85 Franklin 11 cities · avg 84.5 Hampden 14 cities · avg 84.2 Hampshire 13 cities · avg 84 Middlesex 49 cities · avg 77.1 Nantucket 1 city · avg 47 Norfolk 27 cities · avg 77.5 Plymouth 22 cities · avg 75.6 Rockingham 1 city · avg 68.4 Strafford 1 city · avg 36.1 Suffolk 4 cities · avg 81.9 Worcester 51 cities · avg 75.5
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 (79.3/100). 82% 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 Lee (F), Milford (F), Wrentham (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?

138 out of 280 cities tested positive for PFAS "forever chemicals" (49%). 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?

8 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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