Is Norfolk, MA Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Norfolk'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.

Contaminant	Level vs EPA limit	Suppliers	Source
Nitrate	2690 µg/L 27% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2019	2/2	SYR4
Barium	58.7 µg/L 2.9% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2018	2/2	SYR4
TTHM	51.39 µg/L 64% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2019	2/2	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	2.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 33 µg/L — MCI NORFOLK/CEDAR JUNCTION/WALPOLE · 2,200 people · 2019	2/2	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	6.28 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 19.92 µg/L — MCI NORFOLK/CEDAR JUNCTION/WALPOLE · 2,200 people · 2019	2/2	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	18.32 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2019	1/2	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	15.48 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2019	1/2	SYR4
Chloroform	13.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2019	1/2	SYR4
Bromoform	9.51 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2019	1/2	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	2.555 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2019	1/2	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	2.51 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2019	1/2	SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity	1.3 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MCI NORFOLK/CEDAR JUNCTION/WALPOLE · 2,200 people · 2014	1/2	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	1.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2019	1/2	SYR4
Xylenes, Total	0.6000 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: MCI NORFOLK/CEDAR JUNCTION/WALPOLE · 2,200 people · 2019	1/2	SYR4
PFOA	0.0070 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2025	1/2	UCMR-5
Pfhxa	0.0054 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2025	1/2	UCMR-5
Pfpea	0.0050 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2025	1/2	UCMR-5
PFOS	0.0045 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2025	1/2	UCMR-5
PFBS	0.0040 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2025	1/2	UCMR-5
Lead	0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: NORFOLK WATER DIVISION · 7,602 people · 2025 Highest in the city: 0.0010 mg/L — MCI NORFOLK/CEDAR JUNCTION/WALPOLE · 2,200 people · 2025	2/2	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 Norfolk

Supplier	Population served
NORFOLK WATER DIVISION	7,602
MCI NORFOLK/CEDAR JUNCTION/WALPOLE	2,200

Frequently asked questions about Norfolk tap water

Is Norfolk tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 20 contaminants in the water serving Norfolk. 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 Norfolk?

2 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Norfolk, Massachusetts to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Norfolk's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Norfolk include Nitrate, Barium, TTHM, Trichloroacetic Acid, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5). 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.