Table of Contents
Can You Drink Tap Water in Boston?
Yes, Boston's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Boston has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page, the city's water provider website, or Boston's local Twitter account.
According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Boston's water utility, Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra), had 1 health-based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. This assessment is based on the Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra) water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.
While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.
The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.
Water Quality Report for Boston Tap Water
The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Boston tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.
Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.
EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.
There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.
We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Boston's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.
Boston Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years
Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra) for Boston in Massachusetts. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.
For the compliance period beginning Nov. 1, 2020, Boston had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Treatment Technique Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Lead and Copper Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: Lead and Copper Rule.
Is there Lead in Boston Water?
Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Boston water system, Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra), between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.0174 mg/L of lead in Boston water. This is 116.0% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Boston contained more lead.
While Boston water testing may have found 0.0174 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.
No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.
Are there PFAS in Boston Tap Water?
Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Hanscom Air Force Base - near Boston with suspected leaks.
With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Boston has been evaluated for yet.
Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.
Boston SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years
| Compliance Period | Status | Health-Based? | Category Code | Code | Rule Code | Contaminant Code | Rule Group Code | Rule Family Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11/01/2020 - | Addressed | Yes | Treatment Technique Violation (TT) | Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) (64) | Lead and Copper Rule (350) | Lead and Copper Rule (5000) | Chemicals (300) | Lead and Copper Rule (350) |
What do these Violations Mean?
Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.
Health Based Violations
- Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
- Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
- Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.
Non-Health Based Violations
- Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
- Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
- Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.
SDWA Table Key
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Compliance Period | Dates of the compliance period. |
| Status |
Current status of the violation.
|
| Health-Based? | Whether the violation is health based. |
| Category Code |
The category of violation that is reported.
|
| Code | A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table. |
| Contaminant Code | A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation. |
| Rule Code |
Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
|
| Rule Group Code |
Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
|
| Rule Family Code |
Code for rule family.
|
For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.
Boston Water - Frequently Asked Questions
| By Mail: | 980 HARRISON AVE BOSTON, MA, 02119 |
Existing customers can login to their Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra) account to pay their Boston water bill by clicking here.
If you want to pay your Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra) bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Boston water bill.
If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Boston water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.
Moving to a new house or apartment in Boston means you will often need to put the water in your name with Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra). In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.
Leaving your house or apartment in Boston means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Mwra). In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.
The estimated price of bottled water
$2.72 in USD (1.5-liter)
USER SUBMITTED RATINGS
- Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility
- Water Pollution
- Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility
- Water Quality
The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Boston, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).
Related FAQS
Contaminants
Boston Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA)
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Utility details
- Serves: 617594
- Data available: 2012-2017
- Data Source: Purchased surface water
- Total: 17
Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines
- Bromodichloromethane
- Chloroform*
- Dibromochloromethane*
- Dichloroacetic acid*
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)*†
- Radium
- combined (-226 & -228)*
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)*†
- Trichloroacetic acid*
Other Detected Contaminants
- Aluminum*
- Barium*
- Bromide*
- Chlorate
- Fluoride*
- Manganese*
- Monochloroacetic acid*
- Nitrate*
- Strontium
Reminder
Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.
Sources and Resources
Sources Cited
Additional Resources
Can You Drink Tap Water in Boston?
Yes, Boston's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as it met the EPA’s water quality mandates in its 2020 Water Quality Report. From April 1, 2018 to June 30, 2021 Boston’s Boston Water and Sewer Commission has had no Safe Drinking Water Act Violation. One should not get sick from drinking Boston tap water.
Though Boston’s tap water is generally safe to drink, one should consider the possible safety impacts of low levels of regulated contaminants, unregulated contaminants, and water quality issues caused by severe weather.
While Boston’s tap water is generally safe to drink, long-term residents may consider using water filters for their everyday drinking, as the EPA is still assessing the health impacts of long-term exposure to certain contaminants that they do not yet have regulations for, and long term exposure to certain contaminants which are already regulated, but below the currently acceptable levels.
Where Does Boston Tap Water Come From?
According to Boston’s 2020 Water Quality Report, Boston Water and Sewer Commission obtains water for its customers from several sources:
Quabbin Reservoir, and the Wachusett Reservoir
MWRA’s efforts to protect its drinking water start 65 miles west of Boston, at the Quabbin Reservoir, and the Wachusett Reservoir, 35 miles west of Boston. The combined supply of these two reservoirs provided an average of 200 million gallons of high-quality water every day to our consumers in 2020.
The Quabbin and Wachusett watersheds —the areas that drain water into the reservoirs—are naturally protected. Over 85% of the watersheds are covered in forests and wetlands, which help filter the rain and snow as they enter the streams that flow to the reservoirs.
This water comes in contact with soil, rock, plants, and other material, following its natural path to the reservoirs. While this process helps clean the water, it can dissolve and carry tiny amounts of material into the reservoir. Minerals from soil and rock do not typically cause problems in the water. Water can also transport contaminants from human and animal activity, including bacteria, viruses, or other potential pathogens. Test results show few pollutants are found in the reservoir water. The few that are detected are in tiny amounts that are well below EPA’s standards.
The Ware River
The Ware River also provides additional water when needed.
Main Contaminants Found in Boston Tap Water
As we mentioned above, Boston tap water meets the requirements set by the EPA. For more precise information please see their 2020 Water Quality Report. Though Boston drinking water meets EPA standards that does not mean it is contaminant free as there are levels that the EPA considers acceptable. Though the EPA regulated contaminants must meet a certain threshold for the city’s water to be deemed acceptable, many are still present in the drinking water at some level. The EPA continues to evaluate the long term impacts of these chemicals as more research is available. For example, the rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.
Additionally, there are a number of “emerging†contaminants that the EPA has not determined acceptable levels for and is currently researching. For example, Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are also called ‘forever chemicals’ since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time. We do not yet fully understand the dangers of PFAS as they are currently being investigated. According to the Boston Water and Sewer Commission there are no PFAS in Boston’s drinking water.
Lead piping is another potential source of contamination for many homes, both through service lines and in your home. The National Resource Defense Council has a great walk-through on how to determine if you may have lead service lines.
So while Boston’s tap water does meet the requirements set by the EPA, it still makes sense to try to purify the tap water further to reduce contaminants to lower levels.
Is it safe to Drink Tap Water in Boston?
Yes, Boston’s tap water is generally considered safe to drink as it met the EPA’s water quality mandates in its 2020 Water Quality Report. From April 1, 2018 to June 30, 2021 Boston’s Boston Water and Sewer Commission has had no Safe Drinking Water Act Violation. One should not get sick from drinking Boston tap water.
Though Boston’s tap water is generally safe to drink, one should consider the possible safety impacts of low levels of regulated contaminants, unregulated contaminants, and water quality issues caused by severe weather.
While Boston’s tap water is generally safe to drink, long-term residents may consider using water filters for their everyday drinking, as the EPA is still assessing the health impacts of long-term exposure to certain contaminants that they do not yet have regulations for, and long term exposure to certain contaminants which are already regulated, but below the currently acceptable levels.
Where Does Boston Tap Water Come From?
According to Boston’s 2020 Water Quality Report, Boston Water and Sewer Commission obtains water for its customers from several sources:
Quabbin Reservoir, and the Wachusett Reservoir
MWRA’s efforts to protect its drinking water start 65 miles west of Boston, at the Quabbin Reservoir, and the Wachusett Reservoir, 35 miles west of Boston. The combined supply of these two reservoirs provided an average of 200 million gallons of high-quality water every day to our consumers in 2020.
The Quabbin and Wachusett watersheds —the areas that drain water into the reservoirs—are naturally protected. Over 85% of the watersheds are covered in forests and wetlands, which help filter the rain and snow as they enter the streams that flow to the reservoirs.
This water comes in contact with soil, rock, plants, and other material, following its natural path to the reservoirs. While this process helps clean the water, it can dissolve and carry tiny amounts of material into the reservoir. Minerals from soil and rock do not typically cause problems in the water. Water can also transport contaminants from human and animal activity, including bacteria, viruses, or other potential pathogens. Test results show few pollutants are found in the reservoir water. The few that are detected are in tiny amounts that are well below EPA’s standards.
The Ware River
The Ware River also provides additional water when needed.
Main Contaminants Found in Boston Tap Water
As we mentioned above, Boston tap water meets the requirements set by the EPA. For more precise information please see their 2020 Water Quality Report. Though Boston drinking water meets EPA standards that does not mean it is contaminant free as there are levels that the EPA considers acceptable. Though the EPA regulated contaminants must meet a certain threshold for the city’s water to be deemed acceptable, many are still present in the drinking water at some level. The EPA continues to evaluate the long term impacts of these chemicals as more research is available. For example, the rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.
Additionally, there are a number of “emerging” contaminants that the EPA has not determined acceptable levels for and is currently researching. For example, Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are also called ‘forever chemicals’ since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time. We do not yet fully understand the dangers of PFAS as they are currently being investigated. According to the Boston Water and Sewer Commission there are no PFAS in Boston’s drinking water.
Lead piping is another potential source of contamination for many homes, both through service lines and in your home. The National Resource Defense Council has a great walk-through on how to determine if you may have lead service lines.
So while Boston’s tap water does meet the requirements set by the EPA, it still makes sense to try to purify the tap water further to reduce contaminants to lower levels.