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Tap water quality report

North Reading Water Dept.

EPA monitoring tested this supplier for 101 contaminants and detected 19. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — the level and EPA source for each is below.

101
contaminants tested
19
detected
16,379
people served
13
health-based violations
Massachusetts rankingsLead in MassachusettsPFAS in Massachusetts
Water source
SWP
Ownership
Local government
Counties served
Middlesex

Compliance record

Formal violations the EPA has on file for this supplier. A health-based violation means a contaminant limit or a required treatment was breached; the rest are monitoring or reporting failures — still violations, but not a measured health risk.

13
health-based violations
59
violations on file
1
still open
ViolationTypeStatusPeriod
MCL Health-based Archived 2020-07-01 → 2020-09-30
MCL Health-based Archived 2020-04-01 → 2020-06-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2020-01-01 → 2020-03-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2020-01-01 → 2020-03-31
TT Health-based Resolved 2019-08-01
TT Health-based Resolved 2019-08-01
MCL Health-based Archived 2014-04-01 → 2014-06-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2013-09-01 → 2013-09-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2013-09-01 → 2013-09-30
MCL Health-based Archived 1995-11-01 → 1995-11-30

PFAS detected

PFAS are industrial “forever chemicals”. These are the EPA's latest nationwide test results (2023–2025).
ContaminantMaxDetection ratePeriod
Pfpea 0.0040 µg/L 3/4 2024
Pfhxa 0.0030 µg/L 2/4 2024
Pfba 0.0060 µg/L 1/4 2024

Other contaminants detected

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 this system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Where a single sample came in higher than that percentile, it is noted under the bar. Formal violations are listed separately.
ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitDetection rateSourcePeriod
TTHM
91.945 µg/L 115%
of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L
worst single sample: 181 µg/L
148/148 SYR4 2012–2019
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
22.665 µg/L 38%
of the EPA limit 60 µg/L
worst single sample: 41.7 µg/L
144/152 SYR4 2012–2019
Nitrate
1051.5 µg/L 11%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
worst single sample: 1200 µg/L
32/36 SYR4 2012–2018
Lead
0.0017 mg/L 11%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 20/20 LCR 2025
Bromodichloromethane
21.86 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 22.7 µg/L
8/8 SYR4 2019
Chloroform
80.335 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 88 µg/L
8/8 SYR4 2019
Dibromochloromethane
13.98 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 14.4 µg/L
8/8 SYR4 2019
Dichloroacetic Acid
5.702 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 5.73 µg/L
8/8 SYR4 2019
Trichloroacetic Acid
8.142 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 8.52 µg/L
8/8 SYR4 2019
Barium
31.8 µg/L 1.6%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
worst single sample: 37.5 µg/L
6/6 SYR4 2012–2018
Bromoform
1.9275 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 1.99 µg/L
6/8 SYR4 2019
Fluoride
1175 µg/L 29%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
worst single sample: 1200 µg/L
6/6 SYR4 2012–2018
Monochloroacetic Acid
1.717 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 1.72 µg/L
4/8 SYR4 2019
Arsenic
1 µg/L 10%
of the EPA limit 10 µg/L
 2/6 SYR4 2012–2018
Carbofuran
0.9000 µg/L 2.3%
of the EPA limit 40 µg/L
 1/12 SYR4 2013–2016
Toluene
0.8200 µg/L 0.1%
of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L
 1/24 SYR4 2012–2018
82 contaminants tested, none detected
1,1,1-Trichloroethane1,1,2-Trichloroethane1,1-Dichloroethylene1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE1,2-Dichloroethane1,2-Dichloropropane11Cl-PF3OUdS2,4,5-TP2,4-D4:2 Fts6:2 Fts8:2 Fts9Cl-PF3ONSAdonaAntimony, TotalAtrazineBhc-GammaBenzeneBenzo(A)PyreneBeryllium, TotalChlorobenzeneCyanideCadmiumCarbon TetrachlorideChlordaneChromiumDichloromethaneDalaponDi(2-ethylhexyl) AdipateDi(2-ethylhexyl) PhthalateDibromoacetic AcidDinosebEthylene DibromideEndrinEthylbenzeneHexachlorobenzeneHfpo-DaHeptachlorHeptachlor EpoxideHexachlorocyclopentadieneLassoMercuryMethoxychlorMonobromoacetic AcidNetfosaaNfdhaNmefosaaNitriteOxamylPFBSPfdaPfdoaPfeesaPfhpaPfhpsPFHXSPfmbaPfmpaPFNAPFOAPFOSPfpesPftaPftrdaPfunaPentachlorophenolPicloramSeleniumSimazineStyreneTetrachloroethyleneThallium, TotalToxapheneTrichloroethyleneVinyl ChlorideXylenes, Totalcis-1,2-DichloroethyleneLithiumO-DichlorobenzeneP-Dichlorobenzenetrans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

Utility contact

Contact
MATTHEW M PRINCE
Phone
9783575246
Email
MPRINCE@NORTHREADINGMA.GOV

Frequently asked questions about North Reading Water Dept.

Is North Reading Water Dept. tap water safe to drink?

EPA monitoring detected 19 contaminants in North Reading Water Dept.'s water. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most levels are within federal limits. See each level and source above, and the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for its official compliance status.

What contaminants were detected in North Reading Water Dept.'s water?

EPA monitoring detected TTHM, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Nitrate, Lead, Bromodichloromethane, and others. The full list with the level and data source for each is above.

How many people does North Reading Water Dept. serve?

North Reading Water Dept. reports serving 16,379 people in Massachusetts, per its EPA record.

Has North Reading Water Dept. had any water quality violations?

The EPA has 59 violations on file for North Reading Water Dept., of which 13 are health-based (a contaminant limit or required treatment was breached) and 1 remain open. The rest are monitoring or reporting failures.

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.