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Tap water quality report

New Bedford, MA

EPA monitoring detected 15 contaminants across the 1 water supplier serving New Bedford. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the level at the main supplier for each below, with its EPA source and period.

1
water supplier
101,079
people served
15
contaminants found
Massachusetts rankings Lead in Massachusetts PFAS in Massachusetts

What was found in New Bedford's water

The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.

ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitSuppliersSource
Fluoride
1230 µg/L 31%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2019
1/1 SYR4
Nitrate
106 µg/L 1.1%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2019
1/1 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
63.35 µg/L 106%
of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2019
1/1 SYR4
TTHM
52.34 µg/L 65%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2019
1/1 SYR4
Chloroform
39.35 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2013
1/1 SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid
29.85 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2012
1/1 SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid
12.85 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2012
1/1 SYR4
Barium
8.86 µg/L 0.4%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2019
1/1 SYR4
Bromodichloromethane
7.16 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2013
1/1 SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid
4.14 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2012
1/1 SYR4
Copper
1.1 µg/L 0.1%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2019
1/1 SYR4
Chromium
1.1 µg/L 1.1%
of the EPA limit 100 µg/L
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2019
1/1 SYR4
Dibromochloromethane
0.8975 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2013
1/1 SYR4
Pfba
0.0070 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2024
1/1 UCMR-5
Lead
0.0041 mg/L 27%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
Main supplier: CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI · 101,079 people · 2023
1/1 LCR
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Formal violations are listed separately. These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide average. A detection means the lab measured the substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.

Water suppliers serving New Bedford

SupplierPopulation served
CITY OF NEW BEDFORD DPI 101,079

Frequently asked questions about New Bedford tap water

Is New Bedford tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 15 contaminants in the water serving New Bedford. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.

How many water suppliers serve New Bedford?

1 public water supplier report drinking-water monitoring for New Bedford, Massachusetts to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in New Bedford's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in New Bedford include Fluoride, Nitrate, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), TTHM, Chloroform. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.

Where does this data come from?

Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.