We read 14 results from Tewksbury Water Department’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 2 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 31,342 people · Water system ID MA3295000 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chloriteaverage · range 0.03 to 0.16 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 3 | 0.07 ppm | 0.05 ppm | 1 ppm | Above the health goal1.4x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)highest measured · sampled 2024 · Treated water · 2025 report, page 7 | 5 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. |
| Copper90th percentile of 30 homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.03 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)average · range 6 to 31 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 4 | 17 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)average · range 20 to 78 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 4 | 51 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluoridehighest measured · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2025 report, page 3 | 0.6 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2025 report, page 3 | 0.19 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Perchloratehighest measured · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2025 report, page 3 | 0.31 ppb | 1 ppb | 6 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Sulfatehighest measured · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2025 report, page 3 | 26.4 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · range 0.03 to 0.21 · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.21 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| PFAS (total of measured)highest measured · range ND to 10.4 · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2025 report, page 6 | 10.4 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)highest measured · sampled 2024 · Treated water · 2025 report, page 7 | 4 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFPeA (a PFAS)highest measured · sampled 2024 · Treated water · 2025 report, page 7 | 4 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumhighest measured · listed as a violation in the report · Treated water · 2025 report, page 3 | 40 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 Tewksbury Water Department’s water between Jan 2024 and Oct 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA5 pptFound in 3 of 4 samples · highest resultAbove 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.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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