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Public water system record

Boston Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA)

Serves Boston, Suffolk County, MA · 675,647 people served

Federal records show 1 health-based violation and no monitoring/reporting issues for Boston Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA) in the last ten years, including an unresolved Lead and Copper Rule violation.

  • MA3035000
  • BOSTON
  • MA
  • 675,647 served

System profile

Source water Purchased surface water
ZIP 02119
EPA system ID MA3035000

Verify this system on EPA ECHO →

Health-based violations, last 10 years
1
Resolved
0
Unresolved
1
Any acute record
No
Monitoring issues, last 10 years
0

Key facts

  • Boston Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA) buys its water from MWRA.
  • Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by Massachusetts, October 2021.
  • Record on file since 1982, with 3 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
  • Lead pipe inventory: 2,184 lead and 4,180 unknown out of 99,945 service lines.

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Health-based violations

Since October 2016

Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.

Contaminant Rule family Start date Status Acute
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
 350 Nov 1, 2020 Active
Enforcement action in place
 No

Full record since 1982

EPA's records for Boston Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA) go back to 1982. Before October 19, 2016 they list 3 health-based violations (3 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 1 monitoring or reporting violation.

Violations that began in Health-based Monitoring and reporting
1980s 0 1
1990s 3 0
2020s 1 0

Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Coliform, began July 1996, Archived.

Show all 3 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
Contaminant Start date Status
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Jul 1, 1996 Archived
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Jun 1, 1996 Archived
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Jan 1, 1992 Archived

Enforcement actions

Massachusetts regulators took 2 formal enforcement actions against Boston Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA) between 1993 and 2021. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in October 2021.

Date By Action Violations covered
Oct 5, 2021 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Lead and Copper Rule
Jun 29, 1993 Massachusetts Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Surface Water Treatment Rule

What the violations mean

Lead and Copper Rule

1 incident

The system did not complete a treatment step or action that the Lead and Copper Rule requires (a treatment technique violation).

The utility had to notify customers about this violation.

Where the water comes from

Boston Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA) buys its water from MWRA. It lists no wells or intakes of its own.

Buys water from

Annual water quality report

Boston Water and Sewer Commission (MWRA) must give its customers an annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) by July 1, with the levels its tests found in the previous year.

Systems serving 10,000 or more people must mail or deliver the report to every customer, and from 2027 they must send it twice a year.

Find a posted report with EPA's Consumer Confidence Report search

Testing your own water

To test the water at your tap, or a private well this record does not cover, use a laboratory certified for drinking water by Massachusetts.

Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells