Massachusetts Tap Water Quality
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Overview
The MWRA delivers Quabbin and Wachusett reservoir water to Boston and 50+ communities: protected-watershed supply so clean it earned an EPA filtration waiver, consistently rated among the best big-city water in America. Central and western systems draw local reservoirs and wells.
The state's compliance record is excellent. Attention now centers on PFAS, where Massachusetts set an early, strict standard covering six compounds and found exceedances in dozens of systems (notably on Cape Cod, where firefighting-foam plumes and septic-dense geology combine), and on lead in the state's very old housing stock.
Common Contaminants in Massachusetts
The state's PFAS6 standard flagged dozens of systems, concentrated on Cape Cod and near training sites; treatment installs are well underway
Pre-war housing across Boston, Worcester, and the mill cities carries legacy service lines and solder; MWRA's corrosion control keeps levels low
Rising in some suburban wellfields; flagged for sodium-restricted diets
Violations & Compliance
Health-based violations are rare and mostly PFAS-related as the strict state standard came into force. The MWRA core system has a decades-long clean record with soft, low-mineral water.
Water Hardness in Massachusetts
Soft, typically 10–60 mg/L. The Quabbin/Wachusett system serving Greater Boston is famously soft; most other reservoir-fed systems across the state are similar.
Hardness affects taste, limescale, and soap — not safety. Compare levels across all cities or read the water hardness guide.
City Water Reports in Massachusetts
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
The safety rating and guidance on this page draw on the following sources. See our full methodology.
- •US EPA Safe Drinking Water Act regulations
- •EWG Tap Water Database
- •The utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- •WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality