Is Boston tap water safe to drink?

Is Boston tap water safe to drink? Where it comes from

EPA's facility list for Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra) shows no wells or intakes of its own. It also receives water from Mwra.

Violations on file for Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra)

EPA's file for Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra) has no health-based violation between January 2016 and October 2026. State inspectors made 5 recorded visits in that time, the latest a full sanitary survey in March 2026.

Lead results for Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra)

EPA holds 8 rounds of home tap sampling for Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra), from June 2022 to June 2026. The 90th percentile ranged from 5.8 to 99.5 ppb, and the later rounds averaged 12 ppb against 35.8 ppb in the earlier ones. All 8 rounds stayed under the 15 ppb action level.

PFAS in Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra)'s samples

4 samples from January 2024 to October 2024 were checked for 29 PFAS compounds. None was found. Neither PFOA nor PFOS, the two compounds with a federal limit, was found.

Boston water quality compared with other US cities

We compared the EPA file of Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra) with those of 85 other US cities. 22 cities have more health-based violations since 2016 than Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra), and none has fewer. On lead, 76 reported a lower latest result and 8 a higher one. In PFAS testing, 59 had more compounds detected.

Radon in Suffolk County

Suffolk County is in EPA radon Zone 3 (low potential). The Massachusetts radon page lists every county.

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