Water System Report MA

Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra)

EPA ID: MA3035000 ยท 675,647 people served ยท 39 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) (MA3035000): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Zero EPA violations over five years - Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) has kept tap water compliance clean for its full service population of 675,647.

Data: EPA SDWIS

A ยท 100
Avg Safety Score
675,647
People Served
39
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.0058 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 3
Radon Risk ยท Low
0
Contaminants Flagged
$859K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade A

Service Area Demographics

$110,321
Median Household Income
926,994
Service Area Population
40%
Disadvantaged Population
36th
Poverty Percentile
40th
Energy Burden Percentile
77%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) serves a community with a median household income of $110,321 and an estimated 926,994 residents across its service area. Approximately 77% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 40% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra)'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
39th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
54th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

88 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Pipe Material
5 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Accelerating Decay
Decay Status
Installed 95% of expected lifespan used End of life

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 11 detections recorded. 4 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).

State limits: PFAS6: 0.02 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Massachusetts

C 0 violations
B 1 violation

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
Flood Insurance $1,314
Radon Mitigation $216
PFAS Treatment $62
Water Filtration $8
Total Estimated Cost $1,600

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

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

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 $1,600 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) (EPA ID: MA3035000) is a community water system in Massachusetts that serves approximately 675,647 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 39 ZIP codes across 19 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: A (100/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 31 of 39 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
0.0058 mg/L No N/A

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

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 3 (Low Risk)

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking โ€” this helps flush lead from your pipes.

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.

This system serves 39 ZIP codes:

02026 ยท 02108 ยท 02109 ยท 02110 ยท 02111 02113 ยท 02114 ยท 02115 ยท 02116 ยท 02118 02119 ยท 02120 ยท 02121 ยท 02122 ยท 02124 02125 ยท 02126 ยท 02127 ยท 02128 ยท 02129 02130 ยท 02131 ยท 02132 ยท 02133 ยท 02134 02135 ยท 02136 ยท 02138 ยท 02139 ยท 02151 02163 ยท 02186 ยท 02199 ยท 02205 ยท 02210 02215 ยท 02445 ยท 02446 ยท 02467

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) (MA3035000) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) 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 Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) serve?

Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) serves approximately 675,647 people across 39 ZIP codes in Massachusetts.

Where does Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.

Samples collected
116

Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.

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†’

How Water Systems Appear in Rankings

Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) safe to drink?
Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) earns a A safety grade with 0 violations in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
Should I use a water filter?
Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) serve?
Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) serves approximately 675,647 people with drinking water across 39 ZIP codes.
What is Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra)'s water source?
Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra)'s water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.0058 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra)'s service area?
The Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) service area has a median household income of $110,321. EPA EJScreen data classifies 40% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) get its water?
Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra)'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 available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra): Serves 676K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ma3035000/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ma3035000,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra): Serves 676K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ma3035000/}
}
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