Water System Report MA

Paxton Water Department

EPA ID: MA2228000 ยท 4,300 people served ยท 1 ZIP code

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Paxton Water Department (MA2228000): no drinking-water violations recorded since 2021. EPA data: Paxton Water Department - zero violation entries, 4,300 served.

Data: EPA SDWIS

C ยท 67
Avg Safety Score
4,300
People Served
1
ZIP Code Served
0
Violations (since 2021)
Surface Water
Water Source
Below the reporting limit
Most recent lead 90th percentile on record (monitoring period ending 2026-12-31)
Zone 1
County Radon Potential ยท High
0
Contaminants Flagged
$465K
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Paxton Water Department Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - average Home Safety grade of mapped ZIPs: C

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$133,750
Median Household Income
4,996
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
22%
Disadvantaged Population
30th
Poverty Percentile
60th
Energy Burden Percentile
74%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with Paxton Water Department have a median household income of $133,750 and about 4,996 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 74% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Paxton Water Department's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
40th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
60th
Superfund Site Proximity

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 60th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.

Infrastructure Risk

62 yr
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Likely pipe material (modeled)
3 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 95% of expected lifespan used (estimate) End of life

PFAS in ZIP Codes This System Serves

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been reported in samples from water systems associated with the ZIP codes in this system's area. These results can come from other water systems serving the same ZIP codes; check the UCMR5 section for any results reported for this system. 3 detections recorded.

State PFAS values in our reference data (state drinking-water standard (enforceable)); check current state rules: PFAS6: 20 ppt
Health concern: Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with some cancers and with immune and developmental effects; effects differ by compound. Many PFAS break down very slowly in the environment.
Recommended filter: An activated carbon filter certified under NSF/ANSI 53 or a reverse osmosis system certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for the PFAS listed in its certification. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Massachusetts

B 0 violations
B 0 violations
C 0 violations
0 violations
C 35 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

PFAS Treatment
PFAS Treatment $500
Total Estimated Cost $500

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

Illustrative per-household cost scenario based on stated assumptions:

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $500 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These estimates are for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Paxton Water Department (EPA ID: MA2228000) is a community water system in Massachusetts that serves approximately 4,300 people from surface water sources.

This system serves ZIP code 01612 in Paxton.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: C (67/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 1 of 1 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No accepted violation records in the 2021-2026 window - The accepted EPA ECHO 2026Q2 snapshot contains zero violation records for this system whose record year falls from 2021 through 2026, inclusive. This is not a tap-water safety guarantee.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
Below the reporting limit No 2026-12-31

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

1 of 1 ZIP records with known zones is in EPA Radon Zone 1.

The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by MA or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for Paxton Water Department (MA2228000) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paxton Water Department water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Paxton Water Department in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.

How many people does Paxton Water Department serve?

Paxton Water Department serves approximately 4,300 people across 1 ZIP code in Massachusetts.

Where does Paxton Water Department get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected; the table compares each one with the EPA MCL where one exists (April 2024 rule, compliance required from 2029) and with this state's enforceable standard where one exists.

Samples collected
116
Detections
7
Latest sample
12/20/2023
Highest analyte
PFBA: 7.6 ppt
Analyte Max detected EPA MCL (compliance required from 2029) Status
PFBA 7.6 ppt No federal MCL โ€”
PFPeA 4.4 ppt No federal MCL โ€”
PFHxA 3.3 ppt No federal MCL โ€”

MA enforces a limit of 20 ppt for the combined sum of six PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFHpA and PFDA). The table shows each compound's highest result, which can come from different samples, so it is not compared with that combined limit; the water system's compliance reports give the combined result.

EPA's April 2024 PFAS rule sets MCLs of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX); water systems must comply from 2029. Other PFAS compounds have no individual federal MCL. A state standard is shown only where this system's state has its own enforceable PFAS limit. Detection results are EPA UCMR5 samples, not a measurement at your tap.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Paxton Water Department safe to drink? ▼
Paxton Water Department has 0 recorded violations since 2021. The C shown is a ZIP-area score, not a grade for this utility; see the violation table for what was violated.
Should I use a water filter? ▼
No EPA drinking-water violations since 2021 are on record for Paxton Water Department; this page does not establish contaminant levels at your tap. That is a compliance record, not a guarantee about the water at your tap; a certified filter can target a specific contaminant you are concerned about.
How many people does Paxton Water Department serve? ▼
Paxton Water Department serves approximately 4,300 people with drinking water across 1 ZIP code.
What is Paxton Water Department's water source? ▼
Paxton Water Department draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Paxton Water Department's water? ▼
The reported 90th-percentile lead result is below the laboratory reporting limit, not a measured zero; EPA's health goal for lead is zero. This is at or below the EPA lead action level, which triggers system action and is not a safe level; the EPA health goal for lead is zero.
What is the demographic profile of the ZIP codes associated with Paxton Water Department? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to Paxton Water Department have a median household income of $133,750 (Census ZIP-code estimate). Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Paxton Water Department get its water? ▼
Paxton Water Department's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap. Based on the available data, the modeled source-contamination category is moderate; test local water to assess actual exposure.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Paxton Water Department Water Quality Report, MA. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ma2228000/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ma2228000,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Paxton Water Department Water Quality Report, MA}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ma2228000/}
}

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

Paxton Water Department (EPA ID: MA2228000) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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