Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Boston, MA tap water
9 contaminants were measured in the Boston, MA water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 9
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Service area
- MA
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Boston, MA buys its drinking water from MWRA.
Source
Treatment
Distribution
Also buys water from MWRA.
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChloramineA longer-lasting disinfectant made by combining chlorine with ammonia. | 1.94 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 6.9 ug/L90th percentileAt the tap | 15 ug/LAction level | Within the limit |
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 93 ug/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1300 ug/LAction level | Within the limit |
| BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0.008 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | 2 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 22.9 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | 60 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 26.3 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | 80 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.7 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 0.62 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | 10 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 0.82 pCi/LAverageSystem-wide | 5 pCi/LMCL | Within the limit |
People also ask about Boston, MA's water
+Is Boston, MA tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 9 contaminants measured in Boston, MA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Boston, MA tap water?
9 contaminants were measured in Boston, MA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, disinfection byproducts, and inorganic chemicals. 9 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Boston, MA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Boston, MA's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.