Ashley Falls, MA Water Safety: 63/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Water systems across Ashley Falls produce average compliance results for MA overall — pockets with documented violations exist, and the variation between areas makes checking the specific system serving a given address the most useful step for residents here.
How Ashley Falls Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
What You Should Know About Ashley Falls Water
- Homes built before 1986: 67% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.11 — above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Ashley Falls
2 water utilities share the residential service territory in Ashley Falls, MA — out of 2 total systems in federal records.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Ashley Falls, Massachusetts (population ~611), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 1,067 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Ashley Falls — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Ashley Falls: C (63/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Ashley Falls water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Ashley Falls
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01222 | C | Aquarion Water Company | 987 |
All ZIP Codes in Ashley Falls
- 01222 [C]
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Updated daily.
Health Outcomes in Ashley Falls
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Housing & Infrastructure in Ashley Falls
With 67% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
While newer cities carry lower aggregate plumbing risk from lead-era construction, Ashley Falls sits firmly in the older category. The median build year of 1973 indicates that more than half the housing stock was built before 1986, when lead solder was still legally used in residential copper plumbing — and a substantial portion likely predates 1970, when lead pipes were still commonly installed for service lines. These two thresholds together define the elevated plumbing risk environment that older housing cities carry, independent of what the municipal water supply delivers to the meter.
Over half of homes in Ashley Falls were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Ashley Falls Homeowners
In Ashley Falls, property values comfortably outpace what documented remediation typically costs — the equity share is proportionally low.
Remediation costs in Ashley Falls are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 44% below the Massachusetts average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Ashley Falls
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Wherever 67% of local housing was built before solder rules changed — as is the case in Ashley Falls — a faucet-level sample closes the gap that aggregate utility data cannot.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Flood & Climate Risk in Ashley Falls
Taken together, Ashley Falls's 1 NFIP flood insurance claim and 100% FEMA flood zone coverage place it in the moderate range of exposure. That middle position has specific implications for water quality. The contamination pathways that flooding can open — surface water overwhelming treatment facility intake, floodwaters infiltrating private wells, distribution pressure changes creating backflow — are not constant risks in a moderate-exposure community. But they do become active during significant flood events, and the claim record here indicates enough of those events to make flood timing an occasional factor in local water quality conversations.
Ashley Falls has a moderate flood history with 1 FEMA claims averaging $3,228 per payout. 100% of ZIP codes fall within FEMA flood zones. Flood events can contaminate drinking water and overwhelm treatment systems.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$1,600</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
What You Can Do in Ashley Falls
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages — your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
- Install a certified water filter. An NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter removes most common contaminants.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 67% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Ashley Falls, MA