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Tap water quality report

Needham Water Dept

EPA monitoring tested this supplier for 102 contaminants and detected 19. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — the level and EPA source for each is below.

102
contaminants tested
19
detected
31,664
people served
12
health-based violations
Massachusetts rankingsLead in MassachusettsPFAS in Massachusetts
Water source
SWP
Ownership
Local government
Counties served
Norfolk

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.

12
health-based violations
99
violations on file
0
still open
ViolationTypeStatusPeriod
TT Health-based Resolved 1997-01-01
TT Health-based Resolved 1997-01-01
TT Health-based Resolved 1997-01-01
TT Health-based Resolved 1997-01-01
TT Health-based Resolved 1994-01-01
TT Health-based Resolved 1994-01-01
TT Health-based Resolved 1994-01-01
TT Health-based Resolved 1994-01-01
TT Health-based Resolved 1993-07-01
TT Health-based Resolved 1993-07-01

PFAS detected

PFAS are industrial “forever chemicals”. These are the EPA's latest nationwide test results (2023–2025).
ContaminantMaxDetection ratePeriod
PFOA 0.0046 µg/L 2/6 2024
PFOS 0.0050 µg/L 1/6 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
49.025 µg/L 61%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
worst single sample: 56 µg/L
120/120 SYR4 2012–2019
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
17.24 µg/L 29%
of the EPA limit 60 µg/L
worst single sample: 27 µg/L
120/120 SYR4 2012–2019
Bromodichloromethane
15.18 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 17.2 µg/L
92/92 SYR4 2014–2019
Chloroform
14.225 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 20 µg/L
92/92 SYR4 2014–2019
Dibromochloromethane
17.765 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 21.1 µg/L
92/92 SYR4 2014–2019
Dichloroacetic Acid
12.65 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 16 µg/L
91/92 SYR4 2014–2019
Trichloroacetic Acid
1.8 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 2.3 µg/L
90/92 SYR4 2014–2019
Bromoform
5.8 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 8.5 µg/L
74/92 SYR4 2014–2019
Dibromoacetic Acid
4.44 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 4.9 µg/L
73/92 SYR4 2014–2019
Monochloroacetic Acid
5.1 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 9.7 µg/L
31/92 SYR4 2014–2019
Lead
0.0050 mg/L 33%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 18/18 LCR 2023
Nitrate
1030 µg/L 10%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 14/14 SYR4 2013–2019
Monobromoacetic Acid
1.09 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 1.1 µg/L
6/92 SYR4 2014–2019
Barium
68.5 µg/L 3.4%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
worst single sample: 70 µg/L
3/3 SYR4 2012–2018
Copper
50.8 µg/L 3.9%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
worst single sample: 52 µg/L
3/7 SYR4 2015–2019
Fluoride
980 µg/L 25%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
worst single sample: 1000 µg/L
2/3 SYR4 2012–2018
Chlorobenzene
0.8000 µg/L 0.8%
of the EPA limit 100 µg/L
 1/37 SYR4 2012–2019
83 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, TotalCyanideCadmiumCarbofuranCarbon TetrachlorideChlordaneChromiumDichloromethaneDalaponDi(2-ethylhexyl) AdipateDi(2-ethylhexyl) PhthalateDinosebEthylene DibromideEndrinEthylbenzeneHexachlorobenzeneHfpo-DaHeptachlorHeptachlor EpoxideHexachlorocyclopentadieneLassoMercuryMethoxychlorNetfosaaNfdhaNmefosaaNitriteOxamylPfbaPFBSPfdaPfdoaPfeesaPfhpaPfhpsPfhxaPFHXSPfmbaPfmpaPFNAPfpeaPfpesPftaPftrdaPfunaPentachlorophenolPicloramSeleniumSimazineStyreneTetrachloroethyleneThallium, TotalTolueneToxapheneTrichloroethyleneVinyl ChlorideXylenes, Totalcis-1,2-DichloroethyleneLithiumO-DichlorobenzeneP-Dichlorobenzenetrans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

Utility contact

Contact
MICHAEL J RETZKY
Phone
7814557550
Email
[email protected]

Frequently asked questions about Needham Water Dept

Is Needham Water Dept tap water safe to drink?

EPA monitoring detected 19 contaminants in Needham 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 Needham Water Dept's water?

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

How many people does Needham Water Dept serve?

Needham Water Dept reports serving 31,664 people in Massachusetts, per its EPA record.

Has Needham Water Dept had any water quality violations?

The EPA has 99 violations on file for Needham Water Dept, of which 12 are health-based (a contaminant limit or required treatment was breached) and 0 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.