Tap WaterIndex

← Massachusetts

Tap water quality report

Merrimac Water Department

EPA monitoring tested this supplier for 92 contaminants and detected 7. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — the level and EPA source for each is below.

92
contaminants tested
7
detected
6,988
people served
14
health-based violations
Massachusetts rankingsLead in MassachusettsPFAS in Massachusetts
Water source
Ground water
Ownership
Local government
Counties served
Essex

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.

14
health-based violations
264
violations on file
1
still open
ViolationTypeStatusPeriod
MCL Health-based Archived 2004-10-01 → 2004-10-31
MCL Health-based Archived 2002-11-01 → 2002-11-30
MCL Health-based Archived 2001-10-01 → 2001-10-31
MCL Health-based Archived 1999-09-01 → 1999-09-30
MCL Health-based Archived 1999-08-01 → 1999-08-31
TT Health-based Resolved 1997-01-01
TT Health-based Resolved 1997-01-01
MCL Health-based Archived 1996-11-01 → 1996-11-30
MCL Health-based Archived 1995-05-01 → 1995-05-31
MCL Health-based Archived 1994-08-01 → 1994-08-31

PFAS detected

PFAS are industrial “forever chemicals”. These are the EPA's latest nationwide test results (2023–2025).
ContaminantMaxDetection ratePeriod
PFOA 0.0069 µg/L 2/4 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
Nitrate
608.5 µg/L 6.1%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
worst single sample: 610 µg/L
24/24 SYR4 2012–2018
Lead
0.0016 mg/L 11%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 18/18 LCR 2025
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
18.75 µg/L 31%
of the EPA limit 60 µg/L
worst single sample: 27 µg/L
16/16 SYR4 2012–2019
TTHM
40.05 µg/L 50%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
worst single sample: 40.6 µg/L
12/12 SYR4 2012–2018
Barium
9.095 µg/L 0.5%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
worst single sample: 9.2 µg/L
4/4 SYR4 2014–2017
Toluene
0.7100 µg/L 0.1%
of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L
 1/17 SYR4 2012–2019
85 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, TotalArsenicAtrazineBhc-GammaBenzeneBenzo(A)PyreneBeryllium, TotalChlorobenzeneCyanideCadmiumCarbofuranCarbon TetrachlorideChlordaneChromiumDichloromethaneDalaponDi(2-ethylhexyl) AdipateDi(2-ethylhexyl) PhthalateDinosebEthylene DibromideEndrinEthylbenzeneFluorideHexachlorobenzeneHfpo-DaHeptachlorHeptachlor EpoxideHexachlorocyclopentadieneLassoMercuryMethoxychlorNetfosaaNfdhaNmefosaaNitriteOxamylPfbaPFBSPfdaPfdoaPfeesaPfhpaPfhpsPfhxaPFHXSPfmbaPfmpaPFNAPFOSPfpeaPfpesPftaPftrdaPfunaPentachlorophenolPicloramSeleniumSimazineStyreneTetrachloroethyleneThallium, TotalToxapheneTrichloroethyleneVinyl ChlorideXylenes, Totalcis-1,2-DichloroethyleneLithiumO-DichlorobenzeneP-Dichlorobenzenetrans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

Utility contact

Contact
JAMES R CLARK
Phone
9783468407
Email
[email protected]

Frequently asked questions about Merrimac Water Department

Is Merrimac Water Department tap water safe to drink?

EPA monitoring detected 7 contaminants in Merrimac Water Department'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 Merrimac Water Department's water?

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

How many people does Merrimac Water Department serve?

Merrimac Water Department reports serving 6,988 people in Massachusetts, per its EPA record.

Has Merrimac Water Department had any water quality violations?

The EPA has 264 violations on file for Merrimac Water Department, of which 14 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.