Is Boston Tap Water Safe to Drink? (2025)

Boston's tap water is among the safest and best-tasting in the nation—but only if it makes it through your pipes uncorrupted. After spending dozens of hours reviewing official water quality reports, testing data, and regulatory documents from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) and Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC), we found that Boston delivers water that meets every federal and state standard and has won national taste competitions. The system scored a 90th percentile lead level of just 7 parts per billion in September 2024—less than half the EPA action level of 15 ppb—and PFAS levels so low they're either non-detectable or in trace amounts well below the EPA's new 4 ppt standard.

But there's a catch, and it's a significant one. While MWRA provides essentially lead-free water from its pristine reservoirs in central Massachusetts, an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 Boston homes still have lead service lines connecting them to the city's water mains. These aging pipes create what experts call the "last mile problem"—water that's pure when it leaves the treatment plant but can pick up lead during its final journey to your tap.

🎯 Is Boston Tap Water Safe? (The Direct Answer)

Yes, Boston's municipal water supply is safe and ranks among the best in the United States. MWRA's water meets or exceeds every federal and state standard. The system has maintained compliance with all EPA regulations for 29 consecutive testing periods, produces water pure enough to win national taste competitions, and delivers PFAS levels far below newly established federal limits.

However, your specific tap water safety depends on what happens after MWRA's water reaches your street. This is the critical distinction that affects thousands of Boston residents:

What MWRA Controls (✅ Excellent):

• Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs → Treatment Plant → City Water Main
• Lead-free source water, sophisticated treatment, pristine quality
• Tested 2,000+ times monthly across 53 communities

What MWRA Doesn't Control (⚠️ Variable):

• Water Main → Your Property Line → Your Building → Your Faucet
• Service lines, home plumbing, fixtures, internal pipes
• This "last mile" determines whether pristine water stays pristine

Who Should Pay Close Attention

You face higher risk if your home:

• Was built before 1934 (when Boston stopped installing lead service lines)
• Was built before 1950 (broader risk period for lead pipes)
• Is located in Brighton, East Boston, or Allston (three neighborhoods with the highest concentration of lead service lines—over 50% of all recorded lead pipes in Boston)
• Is in Dorchester, Mattapan, or Roxbury (secondary risk areas with older housing stock)
• Was built before 1986 (could have lead solder joining copper pipes)

The good news: Boston offers a completely free lead service line replacement program funded through 2026, corrosion control treatment that has reduced lead levels by 90% since 1996, and straightforward ways to test your water and determine your risk.

✅ Your Action Plan: What You Should Do

Most Boston residents can drink their tap water with confidence. But if you're in a higher-risk category, here's your step-by-step action plan:

Step 1: Determine Your Risk Level

Check your home's age:

• Built before 1934? → High risk for lead service line
• Built 1934-1950? → Moderate risk for lead service line
• Built 1950-1986? → Risk for lead solder in copper pipes
• Built after 1986? → Lower risk but brass fixtures could contain some lead until 2014

Check your neighborhood:

• Brighton, East Boston, Allston → Highest concentration of lead service lines
• Dorchester, Mattapan, Roxbury → Secondary risk areas with older housing

Check BWSC records:

• Visit bwsc.org and use the Lead Service Map (interactive map shows properties with known lead lines in red)
• Call BWSC Lead Hotline: 617-989-7888
• Note: Map is based on visual inspections and records review but isn't comprehensive—more than 3,000 service lines still need investigation

Step 2: Protect Yourself Right Now (Takes 30 Seconds)

While you investigate your service line status, adopt these protective habits that meaningfully reduce exposure:

Flush before first use:

• If water has been sitting unused for 6+ hours (overnight, workday), run cold water for 15-30 seconds before using for drinking or cooking
• You'll know flushing is adequate when water becomes noticeably colder
• For homes with confirmed lead service lines: Flush for up to 1 minute

Always use cold water:

• Use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula
• Hot water dissolves lead much faster from pipes
• If you need hot water for cooking, heat cold water on the stove rather than using hot tap water

Additional precautions:

• Clean aerators regularly (sediment can accumulate lead particles)
• Consider using filtered or bottled water for infant formula preparation if you have lead concerns

Step 3: Test Your Specific Water

System-wide compliance data doesn't tell you about your specific home. Testing costs less than dinner out and provides definitive answers.

Cost: $15-$50 through Massachusetts DEP certified laboratories

How to collect sample:

• Use a first-draw sample (after water sits overnight or 6+ hours)
• Collect from the tap you use for drinking/cooking
• Follow laboratory's specific collection instructions
• This captures your worst-case exposure scenario

Where to test:

• Find certified labs at mwra.com/testinglabs.html
• Contact MWRA Water Quality Hotline: 617-242-5323
• Popular options: SimpleLab, National Testing Laboratories

What to test for:

• Lead (essential if home built before 1986)
• Copper (if you have copper pipes)
• Consider comprehensive panel if doing testing anyway

Step 4: Consider a Water Filter (If Needed)

Not all filters are created equal. Match filter technology to your specific concerns and verify NSF certification.

For Lead Concerns (Most common reason to filter):

Filter Type	NSF Certification	Effectiveness	Cost Range	Best For
Pitcher filters	NSF/ANSI 53 for lead	Reduces 150 ppb → <5 ppb	$20-50 initial, $20-60/year filters	Drinking water only, renters
Faucet-mount filters	NSF/ANSI 53 for lead	Reduces 150 ppb → <5 ppb	$30-80 initial, $30-80/year filters	Single tap convenience
Under-sink carbon block	NSF/ANSI 53 for lead	Reduces 150 ppb → <5 ppb	$100-300 initial, $50-150/year	Dedicated drinking water tap
Reverse osmosis	NSF/ANSI 58	Removes 95%+ lead	$150-1,000 initial, $100-200/year	Multiple contaminants

For PFAS Concerns:

• Reverse osmosis (NSF 58): Removes 90%+ of PFAS including short-chain compounds
• Activated carbon (NSF 53 with PFAS-specific certification): Works for longer-chain PFAS
• Note: Boston's PFAS levels are already very low (under 1 ppt), so filtration may not be necessary

For Taste/Chlorine:

• Basic carbon filters (NSF 42): Removes chlorine taste and odor
• Options: Pitcher, faucet-mount, under-sink, or whole-house
• Note: NSF 42 is for aesthetics only—doesn't remove health contaminants unless also certified to NSF 53

For Multiple Contaminants:

• Reverse osmosis (NSF 58): Most comprehensive protection
• Advanced carbon (NSF 53 + NSF 401): Removes lead, some PFAS, and emerging contaminants
• Consider: Whole-house systems if you want treated water at all taps

Critical Maintenance:

• Replace cartridges per manufacturer instructions (typically every 2-6 months for carbon, 2-3 years for RO membranes)
• Set calendar reminders—expired filters lose effectiveness
• In some cases, old filters can release accumulated contaminants back into water
• Boston's unfiltered water contains natural organic matter that may clog filters faster than filtered municipal water

Step 5: Get Free Lead Pipe Replacement

Since January 2023, Boston has offered something remarkable: completely free lead service line replacement funded by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

What's covered:

• Public portion: Water main to property line (BWSC owns)
• Private portion: Property line to your building (you own)
• Typical cost if you paid: $15,000-$25,000
• Your cost with program: $0

Eligibility:

• Active water account not delinquent
• No extraordinary physical obstacles (like removing entire porches or retaining walls)
• Property confirmed to have lead service line

How to participate:

1. Call BWSC Lead Hotline: 617-989-7888
2. Schedule inspection to confirm lead service line
3. If confirmed, schedule replacement work
4. Most replacements happen April-October (better ground conditions)
5. Simpler jobs completed in a single day

Progress and timeline:

• 326 lead service lines removed in 2024
• 410 homeowners participated in 2023
• Program funded through at least 2026
• With thousands remaining, pace needs to accelerate

👶 Special Guidance: If You Have Young Children

Lead exposure during early development affects brain and nervous system growth, potentially reducing IQ and causing learning disabilities. Children under 6 are most vulnerable.

Blood Lead Testing:

• Massachusetts recommends testing at 9-12 months
• Continue yearly until age 5
• Contact Boston Public Health Commission: 617-534-5395

Additional Precautions:

• Use filtered or bottled water for infant formula preparation if you have any lead concerns
• Test your tap water before your baby starts drinking tap water
• Ensure daycare or preschool has tested their water
• If blood test shows elevated lead, work with pediatrician to identify sources (paint, soil, water)

Resources:

• Boston Public Health Commission Lead Poisoning Prevention Program: 617-534-5395
• Massachusetts Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program: 1-800-532-9571
• CDC Lead Information: cdc.gov/lead

📊 Water Quality at a Glance (October 2024 Results)

MWRA's most recent testing data tells a reassuring story about system-wide water quality:

Contaminant	Detected Level	Federal Limit	Status	Health Significance
Lead (90th percentile)	7 ppb	15 ppb (Action Level)	✅ Pass	Less than half the action level
PFOA	0.832 ppt	4 ppt (MCL)	✅ Pass	5x below new EPA limit
PFOS	0.440 ppt	4 ppt (MCL)	✅ Pass	9x below new EPA limit
Total Trihalomethanes	22.0 ppb	80 ppb (MCL)	✅ Pass	Typical range for unfiltered system
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	19.4 ppb	60 ppb (MCL)	✅ Pass	Well under limit
Total Coliform Bacteria	31 of 2,463 samples (1.3%)	<5% positive	✅ Pass	Common indicator bacteria
E. coli	0 of 2,463 samples	0 required	✅ Pass	No fecal contamination detected

Testing Scope: Comprehensive Monitoring

MWRA operates one of the most comprehensive water quality monitoring programs in the country:

• 2,000+ samples collected monthly from reservoirs through distribution systems
• 120+ different contaminants and parameters tested regularly
• 53 communities served across greater Boston area
• 396,850 analyses conducted in 2024 (for systems serving over 100,000 people like NYC, but Boston's program is similarly extensive)
• 29 consecutive compliance periods without violations
• Daily testing at treatment plants ensures finished water meets pH, alkalinity, and disinfection standards
• Quarterly monitoring at 27 distribution system locations confirms water quality throughout the network

This testing intensity far exceeds EPA minimum requirements and provides early warning of any quality changes. Learn how to interpret these numbers in our complete guide to reading water quality reports.

🏔️ Where Boston's Water Comes From

Understanding why Boston's water is so exceptionally pure requires knowing its remarkable origin story.

Three Centuries of Westward Expansion

Boston's water story begins not with the Quabbin, but with springs and hand-dug wells. For the city's first 165 years, residents drew water from the "Great Spring" on Boston Common, local wells, and rain barrels. By the 1750s, as population swelled from 100 to over 11,000, the water had become "hard, discolored, and offensive to the taste." In 1795, private suppliers developed an innovative solution: hollowing out pitch-pine logs to create wooden pipes that carried water from Jamaica Pond to about 1,600 Boston homes. The system delivered roughly 50,000 gallons daily, but water merely oozed from taps at barely 20 PSI—hardly adequate for a rapidly growing city.

By the 1840s, Boston's population had reached 50,000 and faced a water crisis. Jamaica Pond couldn't provide sufficient capacity, water quality had deteriorated, and devastating fires threatened entire neighborhoods due to inadequate pressure. The city needed a transformative solution.

On October 25, 1848, approximately 100,000 people—twice the city's population—gathered at Boston Common to witness something extraordinary. At the dedication ceremony for the new Cochituate Water Works, an 80-foot column of pure water burst from the center of Frog Pond, accompanied by a 100-gun salute and church bells ringing across the city. The engineering marvel behind this spectacle: a 14-mile brick aqueduct carrying water from the newly created Lake Cochituate (formed by impounding a tributary of the Sudbury River) through Natick, Wellesley, and Newton to the Brookline Reservoir, which then fed the city's distribution system. Overnight, Boston's water supply jumped from 50,000 gallons daily to 18 million gallons daily—a 360-fold increase. Construction had taken three years (1845-1848), employed over 3,000 workers, and cost nearly $4 million.

But population growth quickly outpaced even this achievement. By 1870, Boston's 200,000 residents needed more. In 1878, the mainstream Sudbury River was diverted to the new Chestnut Hill Reservoir. By 1897, engineers were already planning the Wachusett Reservoir 35 miles west, which upon completion in 1908 became the world's largest public water supply reservoir—holding 65 billion gallons and serving 29 municipalities.

Each expansion followed the same pattern: find a purer source farther west, build bigger infrastructure, protect the watershed more carefully. This westward march culminated in the most audacious project of all: drowning four entire towns to create a reservoir that could supply Boston for centuries.

Four Towns That Disappeared

The creation of the Quabbin Reservoir stands as one of the most audacious public works projects in American history. On the night of April 27-28, 1938, at the stroke of midnight, four Massachusetts towns—Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott—ceased to exist as legal entities. Over the preceding eleven years, approximately 2,500 residents had been forced to relocate, 650 homes were demolished or moved, and the bodies of more than 7,500 deceased were exhumed from 34 cemeteries and reinterred elsewhere. Residents of Enfield held a farewell ball on that final evening, dancing in their town for the last time before its streets disappeared under water.

The reservoir took eight years to fill completely, finally reaching capacity in 1946 when water first flowed over its spillway. The resulting body of water holds 412 billion gallons—enough to supply Boston for five years even without a drop of rain. When combined with the Wachusett Reservoir, which sits 35 miles west of Boston and receives water from the Quabbin, the total system storage reaches 477 billion gallons. At the time of its completion, it was the largest man-made reservoir in the world devoted solely to water supply.

Protected Watershed: Why Boston Avoided the PFAS Crisis

Today, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation manages a 401-square-mile watershed area surrounding both reservoirs, with over 85% covered in forest and wetlands. Daily patrols monitor the land, and about 75% of the total watershed area cannot be developed. This aggressive protection program is what allows Boston to maintain its unfiltered water system—a distinction shared only with New York City, Seattle, San Francisco, and Portland among major American cities.

To avoid mandatory filtration under the EPA's Surface Water Treatment Rule, a water system must meet stringent criteria: fecal coliform levels below certain thresholds, turbidity under 5 NTU, comprehensive watershed protection plans, and the ability to achieve 99.9% inactivation of Giardia, 99.99% inactivation of viruses, and 2-log inactivation of Cryptosporidium through disinfection alone. The federal government actually sued MWRA in 1997 trying to force construction of a filtration plant, but by 2000, even the federal court acknowledged that "there is no dispute that the Quabbin amply meets the filtration avoidance criteria."

🏆 National Recognition & Rankings

Boston's water quality isn't just regulatory compliance—it's nationally recognized excellence.

Best of the Best

When the American Water Works Association held its 16th annual "Best of the Best" water taste test in 2021, the winner was Massachusetts Water Resources Authority—Boston's water supplier. This wasn't a fluke; Boston had previously won the same national competition in 2014. A panel of judges including water quality experts, sensory analysts, and industry professionals evaluated entries from water systems across North America based on clarity, aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, and aftertaste. Boston's water competed against the best municipal systems in two countries and came out on top twice.

Elite Company: Unfiltered Systems

This achievement places Boston in elite company. The handful of major U.S. cities operating unfiltered systems—New York City, Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, and Boston—share similar advantages:

• Protected upland watersheds far from significant development
• Comprehensive land management programs
• Source water so pure that expensive filtration plants aren't required

According to a 2021 study in Nature Communications examining potential source water contamination for more than 100 U.S. cities, Boston is among just 20 cities with zero wastewater treatment discharges upstream of their water intakes, indicating exceptional source protection.

Comparison to Other Major Cities

City	Source	Treatment	Notable Characteristics
Boston	Quabbin/Wachusett Reservoirs	Unfiltered, ozone/UV	National taste test winner 2014, 2021
New York City	Catskill/Delaware watersheds	Unfiltered, chlorine/UV	Largest unfiltered system (1B+ gal/day)
Philadelphia	Delaware/Schuylkill Rivers	Filtered	Ranked 2nd-to-last in 2019 taste test
Los Angeles	Multiple sources	Filtered, complex	Multiple source blending

New York City, often cited as having the best tap water in America, operates the largest unfiltered system in the country at over one billion gallons per day. Philadelphia, by contrast, draws its water from the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers after 100-plus miles of travel through developed areas. In a 2019 expert taste test panel, Philadelphia ranked second-to-last among major cities, with reviewers noting a distinct chlorine taste. While Philadelphia's water meets all federal standards, consumer perception remains challenging.

⚗️ The Treatment: Science That Works

Boston's water treatment combines natural protection with sophisticated chemistry.

Disinfection Without Filtration

After source water flows from the reservoirs, it arrives at the John J. Carroll Water Treatment Plant in Marlborough where it undergoes disinfection treatment:

1. Ozone treatment - Powerful oxidant that kills bacteria and viruses
2. UV light exposure - Additional pathogen inactivation without chemical byproducts
3. Monochloramine addition - Residual disinfectant (chlorine + ammonia) that's gentler than chlorine alone and maintains protection during the long journey through distribution pipes

This process achieves the required 99.9% inactivation of Giardia, 99.99% inactivation of viruses, and 2-log inactivation of Cryptosporidium without the need for physical filtration.

The pH Adjustment That Changed Everything

MWRA's response to the lead challenge is chemical elegance. Starting in 1996, the authority began adjusting the pH and alkalinity of treated water to make it far less corrosive to lead pipes.

The Chemistry:

• Natural water: pH 6.6 (slightly acidic), alkalinity ~6 mg/L
• After treatment: pH 9.3, alkalinity 40 mg/L
• Result: Water forms protective scale on pipe interiors instead of dissolving lead

At the treatment plant, MWRA adds sodium carbonate (soda ash) to raise the water's alkalinity, then injects carbon dioxide to fine-tune the pH. The target values are pH 9.3 and alkalinity 40 mg/L—conditions that make the water form a protective scale on pipe interiors rather than dissolving lead from them. Daily testing at the plant ensures the finished water hits at least pH 9.1, while quarterly monitoring at 27 distribution system locations confirms pH stays above 9.0 throughout the network.

🚰 Understanding the "Last Mile Problem"

Here's where the story gets more complicated. The water leaving MWRA's reservoirs contains no detectable lead—it's measured below the 0.05 ppb reporting limit of testing equipment. Even after treatment and the long journey through MWRA's distribution pipes (which are made of lead-free iron and steel), the water remains essentially lead-free. But somewhere between the city's water main in your street and the faucet in your kitchen, many Boston homes have a lead problem.

The Infrastructure Gap

Massachusetts banned lead pipes in water systems in 1989, but Boston stopped installing them much earlier, in 1934. That means homes built before the mid-1930s could still have lead service lines—the pipes that run from the water main in the street to your building.

Current Status:

• 3,000 to 5,000 lead service lines still exist in Boston (BWSC estimates)
• Geographic concentration: Brighton, East Boston, and Allston account for more than 50% of all recorded lead service lines
• Testing results show variability: Some homes with lead lines test well below action levels; others spike above them

How Lead Gets Into Your Water

When hard, slightly acidic water sits in lead pipes for several hours—overnight, for instance, or while you're at work—it can dissolve microscopic amounts of lead from the pipe walls. The amount depends on:

• Water chemistry (pH, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen)
• How long water sits in contact with lead
• Condition and age of your specific pipes
• Temperature (hot water leaches more lead)

Beyond Service Lines: Other Lead Sources

It's not just the service line between the street and your property. Lead can enter your water from:

• Lead service lines (pre-1934 homes): The primary concern
• Lead solder (pre-1986 homes): Used to join copper pipes, legal until 1986
• Brass fixtures (pre-2014): Could contain up to 8% lead; now limited to 0.25%
• Galvanized steel pipes: Can accumulate lead scale if installed downstream of lead pipes

If you live in a home built before 1950, especially in Brighton, East Boston, Allston, Dorchester, Mattapan, or Roxbury, you should assume you might have a lead service line until proven otherwise. Over 30% of Boston's housing stock dates to before 1940, representing a higher risk tier.

👃 Common Taste & Odor Issues

Even pristine water can occasionally taste off. Because Boston's water flows unfiltered from surface reservoirs, you might notice:

Seasonal Algae (Spring/Fall)

What it is: Earthy, grassy, or cucumber-like flavors from seasonal algae blooms in the Quabbin and Wachusett reservoirs

When it happens: Temperature transitions in spring and fall when different algae species bloom

Is it harmful? No. While unpleasant, the algae and their metabolites pose no health risk.

What MWRA does: Monitors algae levels continuously and applies copper sulfate to control significant blooms

Home solution: Refrigeration significantly reduces taste. Carbon filters certified to NSF Standard 42 remove algae-related taste compounds.

Chlorine/Chloramine Smell (Summer)

What it is: Chlorine-like smell or taste from monochloramine disinfectant

When it's noticeable: Particularly in summer when concentrations may be slightly higher to maintain protection in warmer water

Is it harmful? No. Concentrations are carefully controlled to be effective against bacteria while remaining at levels safe for human consumption.

Home solution:

• Refrigeration reduces perception
• Add lemon slices (vitamin C neutralizes chlorine taste)
• Carbon filters certified to NSF 42 remove chlorine and chloramine taste

Yellow or Rusty Water

What it is: Sediment disturbance from water main breaks, fire hydrant use, or sudden flow changes

When it appears: Suddenly, usually following system work or pressure changes; or consistently in winter when water sits longer in pipes

Is it harmful? No. The EPA states that discoloration from iron sediment poses no health risks, though you should avoid laundry until water clears.

What to do: Run cold water for several minutes to flush. If it persists, contact BWSC.

🌊 Boston Harbor Cleanup Story

Boston's water quality story isn't just about drinking water from pristine reservoirs. It's also about one of the most dramatic environmental cleanup successes in American history.

From Dirtiest to Cleanest

In the 1980s, Boston Harbor was arguably the dirtiest harbor in the nation:

• Raw sewage continuously pumped into the harbor for decades
• Fecal coliform bacteria forced frequent swimming prohibitions
• Pollution so notorious that George H.W. Bush used it to attack Michael Dukakis's environmental record in the 1988 presidential election

Federal action followed. After Quincy sued the Metropolitan District Commission and BWSC in 1982, federal courts ordered a complete cleanup. In 1984, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority was created to replace the MDC and take over the region's water and sewer systems.

The $4.5 Billion Boston Harbor Project

The resulting cleanup stands as one of the largest public works projects in Massachusetts history:

Key Milestones:

• 1991: Deer Island and Nut Island treatment plants halt discharge of "floatable pollution" (grease, oil, plastics, scum)
• 1995: New primary treatment plant at Deer Island begins removing 80% of solids for the first time, finally meeting Clean Water Act requirements
• 2000: Massive outfall tunnel completed to move treated effluent from confined harbor waters to deep Massachusetts Bay where strong currents provide dilution

Results:

• MWRA monitoring since 1989 shows the harbor has "steadily become cleaner"
• Transformed from "one of the filthiest" to "one of the cleanest" harbors in the nation
• 87% reduction in combined sewer overflows through nearly $1 billion in investments
• Nearly three billion gallons per year of sewage that once flowed into waterways now captured and treated

Charles River Recovery

The Charles River, flowing through Boston and Cambridge into the harbor, saw similar improvements:

• 1990s: Received D and F grades from watershed associations
• 2010s: Most segments earned A or B grades
• Swimming now permitted at designated beaches
• Recreational use dramatically increased

Combined sewer overflows—which still discharge untreated sewage mixed with stormwater during heavy rains—remain a challenge but have been reduced by 87% through infrastructure investments.

💧 Bottom Line

After reviewing hundreds of pages of testing data, regulatory reports, and scientific studies, the conclusion is clear: Boston's municipal water supply ranks among the safest and highest-quality in North America.

What We Know for Certain:

✅ MWRA's water meets every federal and state standard ✅ PFAS levels far below EPA limits (often non-detectable) ✅ Disinfection byproducts well within legal ranges ✅ Tastes good enough to win national competitions twice ✅ Lead at system level (7 ppb) less than half EPA action level ✅ Sophisticated corrosion control reduced lead exposure by 90% since 1996 ✅ Comprehensive testing: 2,000+ samples monthly, 120+ contaminants ✅ 29 consecutive compliance periods without violations

What Remains Variable:

⚠️ Your specific home's water quality depends on your service line and plumbing ⚠️ 3,000-5,000 Boston homes still have lead service lines ⚠️ Testing shows homes with identical service to the system can have wildly different lead levels ⚠️ Pre-1986 homes may have lead solder, pre-2014 homes may have leaded brass fixtures ⚠️ System-wide compliance doesn't guarantee your tap is safe

The Quabbin Legacy

The Quabbin Reservoir stands as a permanent legacy of the 2,500 people displaced and the four towns that were literally drowned to give Boston pure water. That sacrifice provided one of the most naturally protected water sources in America:

• 85% forested watershed
• 401 square miles of carefully managed land
• Five-year supply holding 412 billion gallons
• Natural protection against PFAS and other modern contaminants

MWRA does its job remarkably well, delivering water that's tested 1,600 times monthly and trusted by 2.5 million people across 53 communities.

Your Responsibility

Whether that water stays pure on its final journey to your glass depends on pipes you probably can't see and might not know you have.

Take one hour to verify your situation:

1. Check if your home was built before 1986
2. Look up your property on the BWSC Lead Service Map
3. Call 617-989-7888 to request inspection
4. Consider testing your tap water ($15-$50)
5. If you have lead concerns, get a certified NSF 53 filter while waiting for replacement

Your water is almost certainly excellent—but "almost" isn't the same as "verified." The tools to verify are free or inexpensive and readily available. Use them.

For more information about water quality in your specific Boston neighborhood, visit our city water quality database or explore our complete water quality guides.