We read 10 results from Methuen Water Dept’s 2023 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 1 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 53,059 people · Water system ID MA3181000 · Read the district’s 2023 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2023 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chloritehighest measured · range ND to 0.23 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2023 report, page 4 | 0.23 ppm | 0.05 ppm | 1 ppm | Above the health goal4.6x the health goal |
| Bariumhighest measured · range 0.01 to 0.01 · listed as a violation in the report · Treatment plant · 2023 report, page 4 | 0.01 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Copper90th percentile of homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps · 2023 report, page 4 | 0.07 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 21 to 83 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2023 report, page 4 | 56 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · range 0.25 to 0.34 · listed as a violation in the report · Treatment plant · 2023 report, page 4 | 0.34 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Perchloratehighest measured · range 0.25 to 0.25 · listed as a violation in the report · Treatment plant · 2023 report, page 4 | 0.25 ppb | 1 ppb | 6 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Sulfateas reported · sampled 2022 · Treatment plant · 2023 report, page 5 | 18 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| PFBS (a PFAS)highest measured · range 1 to 2.28 · Treatment plant · 2023 report, page 5 | 2.28 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)highest measured · range 1.62 to 2.79 · Treatment plant · 2023 report, page 5 | 2.79 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumas reported · Treatment plant · 2023 report, page 5 | 42 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper. 3 numbers we weren’t sure about are held back until a person checks.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in Methuen Water Dept’s water between Dec 2023 and Sep 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA4 pptFound in 1 of 4 samples · highest resultBelow the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
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