EPA system MA6000000 · Massachusetts
MWRA: Lead at or above the 15 ppb action level in 11 monitoring periods
90th percentile for the latest monitoring period; sampled Dec 31, 2025. Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO.
MWRA is a community water system in Massachusetts serving about 2,580,000 people, matched to 35 ZIP codes.
PFAS and lithium: what EPA's national survey found
EPA's national PFAS survey did not include MWRA, so there are no federal PFAS results for this water. The utility's own annual report may have state-required testing.
MWRA was not required to sample under UCMR 5 (systems serving more than 3,300 people, plus a random sample of smaller ones).
Lead at customer taps
In the latest completed monitoring period, ending Dec 31, 2025, 9 in 10 sampled homes had lead at or below 5.9 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that triggers utility action. The action level has been reached in 11 of the 44 periods on record.
In the most recent completed lead monitoring period, ending Dec 31, 2025, the 90th-percentile lead result at customer taps was 5.9 ppb, below the action level of 15 ppb; 11 of the 44 monitoring periods on record reached the action level. The 90th percentile is the value that 9 in 10 sampled homes were at or below. Values are in parts per billion (ppb).
| Monitoring period | Metal | 90th percentile | Action level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025 | Lead | 5.9 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024 | Lead | 6.9 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023 | Lead | 10.8 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022 | Lead | 7.3 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2021 – Dec 31, 2021 | Lead | 8.6 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020 | Lead | 6.5 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2019 – Dec 31, 2019 | Lead | 8.0 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2018 – Dec 31, 2018 | Lead | 9.7 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2017 – Dec 31, 2017 | Lead | 8.6 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2016 – Dec 31, 2016 | Lead | 6.9 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2015 – Dec 31, 2015 | Lead | 6.2 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2014 – Dec 31, 2014 | Lead | 5.4 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
Show all 44 monitoring periods on record
| Monitoring period | Metal | 90th percentile | Action level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025 | Lead | 5.9 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024 | Lead | 6.9 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023 | Lead | 10.8 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022 | Lead | 7.3 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2021 – Dec 31, 2021 | Lead | 8.6 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020 | Lead | 6.5 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2019 – Dec 31, 2019 | Lead | 8.0 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2018 – Dec 31, 2018 | Lead | 9.7 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2017 – Dec 31, 2017 | Lead | 8.6 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2016 – Dec 31, 2016 | Lead | 6.9 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2015 – Dec 31, 2015 | Lead | 6.2 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2014 – Dec 31, 2014 | Lead | 5.4 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2013 – Dec 31, 2013 | Lead | 6.3 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2012 – Dec 31, 2012 | Lead | 7.7 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jul 1, 2011 – Dec 31, 2011 | Lead | 7.0 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2011 – Jun 30, 2011 | Lead | 4.5 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jul 1, 2010 – Dec 31, 2010 | Lead | 7.0 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2010 – Jun 30, 2010 | Lead | 7.1 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jul 1, 2009 – Dec 31, 2009 | Lead | 10.6 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2009 – Jun 30, 2009 | Lead | 7 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jul 1, 2008 – Dec 31, 2008 | Lead | 8.3 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2008 – Jun 30, 2008 | Lead | 7.2 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jul 1, 2007 – Dec 31, 2007 | Lead | 8.3 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2007 – Jun 30, 2007 | Lead | 9.5 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jul 1, 2006 – Dec 31, 2006 | Lead | 12.5 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2006 – Jun 30, 2006 | Lead | 12.8 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jul 1, 2005 – Dec 31, 2005 | Lead | 13.8 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2005 – Jun 30, 2005 | Lead | 13.2 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jul 1, 2004 – Dec 31, 2004 | Lead | 14.4 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2004 – Jun 30, 2004 | Lead | 14.6 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2003 – Dec 31, 2003 | Lead | 17.1 ppb | 15 ppb | at or above the action level |
| Jul 1, 2002 – Dec 31, 2002 | Lead | 11.3 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jan 1, 2002 – Jun 30, 2002 | Lead | 11.7 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jul 1, 2001 – Dec 31, 2001 | Lead | 18.8 ppb | 15 ppb | at or above the action level |
| Jan 1, 2001 – Jun 30, 2001 | Lead | 13.7 ppb | 15 ppb | below the action level |
| Jul 1, 2000 – Dec 31, 2000 | Lead | 17 ppb | 15 ppb | at or above the action level |
| Jan 1, 2000 – Jun 30, 2000 | Lead | 19 ppb | 15 ppb | at or above the action level |
| Jul 1, 1999 – Dec 31, 1999 | Lead | 16 ppb | 15 ppb | at or above the action level |
| Jan 1, 1999 – Jun 30, 1999 | Lead | 25 ppb | 15 ppb | at or above the action level |
| Jan 1, 1998 – Jun 30, 1998 | Lead | 44 ppb | 15 ppb | at or above the action level |
| Jul 1, 1997 – Dec 31, 1997 | Lead | 40 ppb | 15 ppb | at or above the action level |
| Jan 1, 1997 – Jun 30, 1997 | Lead | 48 ppb | 15 ppb | at or above the action level |
| Jul 1, 1992 – Dec 31, 1992 | Lead | 64 ppb | 15 ppb | at or above the action level |
| Jan 1, 1992 – Jun 30, 1992 | Lead | 71 ppb | 15 ppb | at or above the action level |
Drinking water violations since Sep 3, 2016
EPA lists no drinking-water violations for this utility since Sep 3, 2016.
EPA's SDWIS database lists no drinking water violations for this utility since Sep 3, 2016.
None on file.
Sanitary surveys and site visits
Most recent state inspection: Dec 27, 2022 (sanitary survey); 7 visits since Sep 3, 2021.
What you can do about these results
Filters certified for lead reduction
11 of this utility's 44 lead monitoring periods on record reached the 15 ppb action level (most recent 90th percentile 5.9 ppb).
NSF/ANSI 53 with a lead-reduction claim, or NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis. Lead comes from plumbing, so a point-of-use filter at the kitchen tap is the relevant type.
ZIP codes served
Sources
Data vintage: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data, samples collected 2023-01-03 – 2026-06-17, final release, August 2026 (file dated Aug 28, 2026); EPA SDWIS via ECHO, 2026Q2 extract (file dated Jul 9, 2026); EPA service-area boundaries v3.0; Census 2020 ZCTAs. Page generated 2026-09-03.