Water System Report MA

Cambridge Water Department

EPA ID: MA3049000 ยท 118,214 people served ยท 6 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Cambridge Water Department (MA3049000): no drinking-water violations recorded since 2021. EPA monitoring records reviewed for Cambridge Water Department list no violations. That describes the federal file only, not a test of the water at any tap, for a utility that reports serving approximately 118,214 people.

Data: EPA SDWIS

D ยท 50
Avg Safety Score
118,214
People Served
6
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (since 2021)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.008 mg/L
Most recent lead 90th percentile on record (monitoring period ending 2023-12-31)
Zone 1
County Radon Potential ยท High
0
Contaminants Flagged
$1.1M
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

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

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

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$124,016
Median Household Income
153,390
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
12%
Disadvantaged Population
20th
Poverty Percentile
40th
Energy Burden Percentile
68%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with Cambridge Water Department have a median household income of $124,016 and about 153,390 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 68% 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

Cambridge 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
50th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
80th
Superfund Site Proximity

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 80th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.

Infrastructure Risk

79 yr
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
Galvanized Steel or Lead
Likely pipe material (modeled)
11 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 88% 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. 15 detections recorded. 5 detections are above the level of a federal PFAS MCL (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS), with compliance required from 2029.

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

D 1 violation
B 0 violations
Brockton Water Department
105,788 people
B 1 violation
D 0 violations
City of New Bedford Dpi
101,079 people
B 0 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

Cambridge Water Department (EPA ID: MA3049000) is a community water system in Massachusetts that serves approximately 118,214 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 6 ZIP codes across 2 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: D (50/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 5 of 6 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
0.008 mg/L No 2023-12-31

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

6 of 6 ZIP records with known zones are 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 Cambridge Water Department (MA3049000) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cambridge Water Department water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Cambridge 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 Cambridge Water Department serve?

Cambridge Water Department serves approximately 118,214 people across 6 ZIP codes in Massachusetts.

Where does Cambridge Water Department get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Sample Above an EPA MCL Value or State Standard

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). One or more PFAS measurements were above the level of the EPA MCL for that compound (April 2024 rule, which takes effect in 2029) or above an applicable state drinking-water standard; a monitoring result above that level is not by itself a violation.

Samples collected
116
Detections
5
Latest sample
12/5/2023
Highest analyte
PFOA: 4.8 ppt
Analyte Max detected EPA MCL (compliance required from 2029) Status
PFOA 4.8 ppt 4 ppt Above EPA MCL value (compliance required from 2029)
PFPeA 3.6 ppt No federal MCL โ€”
PFHxA 3.1 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†’

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 Cambridge Water Department safe to drink? ▼
Cambridge Water Department has 0 recorded violations since 2021. The D 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 Cambridge 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 Cambridge Water Department serve? ▼
Cambridge Water Department serves approximately 118,214 people with drinking water across 6 ZIP codes.
What is Cambridge Water Department's water source? ▼
Cambridge Water Department draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Cambridge Water Department's water? ▼
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result on record is 0.008 mg/L (sample period ending 2023-12-31). 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 Cambridge Water Department? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to Cambridge Water Department have a median household income of $124,016 (Census ZIP-code estimate). Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Cambridge Water Department get its water? ▼
Cambridge 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.). Cambridge Water Department, MA: Serves 118K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ma3049000/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ma3049000,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Cambridge Water Department, MA: Serves 118K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ma3049000/}
}

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

Cambridge Water Department (EPA ID: MA3049000) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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