We read 11 results from Stoughton Water Department’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 4 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 29,281 people · Water system ID MA4285000 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2025 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper90th percentile of 60 homes tested, 3 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 4 | 1.05 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Above the health goal3.5x the health goal |
| Lead90th percentile of 60 homes tested, 1 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 4 | 3 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal15x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)average · range 1.8 to 7.3 · Stoughton sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 5.2 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 20 ppt (Massachusetts) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.3x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029; below the 20 ppt Massachusetts limit (for the sum of 6 PFAS)Not a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| PFOS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 6.3 · Stoughton sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 3 ppt | 1 ppt | 20 ppt (Massachusetts) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal3x the health goal |
| Bariumas reported · range 0.007 to 0.009 · listed as a violation in the report · Stoughton sources · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.008 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorineas reported · range 0.46 to 0.69 · listed as a violation in the report · Stoughton distribution · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.55 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)as reported · range 10 to 14.4 · listed as a violation in the report · Stoughton distribution · 2025 report, page 4 | 14.4 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)as reported · range 28 to 56.2 · listed as a violation in the report · Stoughton distribution · 2025 report, page 4 | 56.2 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Nitrate (as N)as reported · range 0.11 to 4.81 · listed as a violation in the report · Stoughton sources · 2025 report, page 4 | 4.81 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFAS (total of measured)as reported · range 1.8 to 12.1 · listed as a violation in the report · Stoughton sources · 2025 report, page 4 | 12.1 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumaverage · range 29.9 to 35.6 · Stoughton sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 31.6 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. 1 number we weren’t sure about is held back until a person checks.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in Stoughton Water Department’s water between Sep 2025 and May 2026. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA7.7 pptFound in 7 of 13 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS7.1 pptFound in 5 of 13 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFBS3.9 pptFound in 5 of 13 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
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.
Lead
Found: Copper, Lead
What removes it: Reverse osmosis or Certified carbon block or RO.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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