PFOA
1.2× the limitPerfluorooctanoic acid
4.8ng/L
Each block = 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
EPA UCMR 5 · sampled 2023Evidence
City water report · 2026
Is Cambridge Tap Water Safe? 2026 Water Quality Report
Short answer: PFOA is above its federal limit (a 2024 limit that water systems have until at least 2029 to meet); 1 more is detected with no federal limit, and everything else measured is within its reference or not detected. Cambridge Water Department serves 118,214 residents.
Listed match
CAMBRIDGE WATER DEPARTMENT serves Cambridge
EPA lists this system for the city. Your water bill or annual water quality report names your actual supplier.
- Source
- Surface water
- Lead service lines
- 2,058 lead, 137 galvanized, 104 unknown
Source: EPA SDWIS 2026Q2.
- CAMBRIDGE WATER DEPARTMENTThis reportMA3049000 · 118,214 served
Your water utility
What stands out
One PFAS above the 2024 federal limit
The bar is drawn in blocks of the 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024), so the length shows how far above it the result sits.
Coverage by group
31 results on record- PFAS (forever chemicals)1 above · 2 detected · 26 not detected
- Metals & lead1 detected
- Disinfection by-productsNot monitored
- Other1 not detected
Every detected result
4 detected results, by distance from their limit
CAMBRIDGE WATER DEPARTMENT (EPA PWSID MA3049000) delivers surface water to 118,214 residents. This report reflects 29 individual PFAS result(s) from the source UCMR5 observations and the latest Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile result. Water hardness and disinfectant type are pending the utility's own annual report.
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)EPA UCMR 5 · 20234.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)4.8ng/LAbove limit
- Lead (90th percentile)EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule) · 202115 µg/L federal action level8µg/LWithin reference
- Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)3.1ng/LWithin reference
- Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023No federal or state limit; shown for transparency3.6ng/LDetected · no limit
27 other contaminants tested, none detected
- 11Cl-PF3OUdS
- 4:2 FTS
- 6:2 FTS
- 8:2 FTS
- 9Cl-PF3ONS
- ADONA
- HFPO-DA (GenX)
- NEtFOSAA
- NFDHA
- NMeFOSAA
- PFBA
- PFBS
- PFDA
- PFDoA
- PFEESA
- PFHpA
- PFHpS
- PFHxS
- PFMBA
- PFMPA
- PFNA
- PFOS
- PFPeS
- PFTA
- PFTrDA
- PFUnA
- Lithium
Track record
0health-based violations in the last 10 years
From EPA SDWIS. A clean violation history means no enforcement action was recorded; it does not cover contaminants without a limit.
Not in this recordDisinfection by-products weren't monitored in this dataset
No result is not a pass. Your utility's annual water quality report may list them, and a certified lab test covers your own tap.
What you can do
Test first, then treat what was found
- 01 · TestTest your own tap
Plumbing inside a home can add lead that the system record can't show. A tap test tells you what reaches your glass.
Certified labHow to test your tap → - 02 · Treat PFASReverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS
PFOA 4.8 ng/L, above the 4 ng/L limit (+2 more PFAS detected)
NSF/ANSI 58 or 53, with PFOA/PFHxA/PFPeA named on the listingTreatment for PFAS → - 03 · LeadLead-certified carbon filter, or reverse osmosis
lead 8 µg/L, below the 15 µg/L action level (detected below the limit); 2,058 lead service lines; 137 galvanized lines to replace (context, not a tap measurement)
NSF/ANSI 53 (lead)Treatment for Lead →
Test your own tap
Screening tells you if something is worth a closer look; a lab result is the number you can act on.
As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
Screening: quick check, not lab-grade
Safe Home DIY Lead in Drinking Water Combo Test Kit
Safe Home (EnviroTestKits)
Lead, read as one of three ranges: 0–4, 5–15 or 15+ ppb
- Turnaround: 5 minutes
What it can't tell you: It shows a lead range, not an exact level, and tests nothing else unless you pay extra for the optional lab test.
Lab-certified results
ETR Labs Basic Water Quality Test Kit
ETR Laboratories
50+ substances, including lead, copper, arsenic, nitrate, hardness and coliform bacteria
- Analyzed by Environmental Testing and Research Laboratories (ETR Labs), Leominster, MA · ISO/IEC 17025:2017, ANAB certificate AT-2638
- Turnaround: 2–4 business days after the lab receives it
What it can't tell you: It does not test PFAS, and not every result on the panel falls under the lab's accredited scope.
Commercial
Certified for a concern found here
Each card names which Cambridge findings its current certification covers, and which it doesn't.
As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. A product appears here only when a current certification record covers at least one identified concern; every concern stays listed. The retail offer is looked up afterwards and never changes which products appear or their order. Affiliate disclosure.
Under-Sink Filter
Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under-Sink Filter (AQ-6300M)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (5)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Countertop System
Aquasana Clean Water Machine Countertop Filter (AQ-CWM2)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
See all 9 products certified for a Cambridge concern →
Countertop System
AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse-Osmosis Purifier (AT2000)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Under-Sink Filter
Under-Sink Reverse-Osmosis System
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (5)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Under-Sink Filter
Waterdrop G3P600 Tankless Reverse-Osmosis System
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (5)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Refrigerator Filter
Whirlpool Filter 3 Refrigerator Water Filter (WHR3RXD1)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Water Pitcher
Culligan ZeroWater 10-Cup Pitcher (ZEROP10)
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFOA, Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Faucet Attachment
Faucet-Mount Filter
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFOA, Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Under-Sink Filter
Under-Sink Carbon Block Filter
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFOA, Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (4)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Cambridge tap water safe to drink?
PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For Cambridge, PFOA 4.8 ng/L was measured above the 4 ng/L federal limit in EPA's 2024 testing; the lead 90th-percentile result was 8 µg/L against the 15 µg/L action level. CAMBRIDGE WATER DEPARTMENT (PWSID MA3049000) has a Purity Score of 65/100 (confidence: moderate), assessed at the water-system level and computed only from contaminants that were measured. Water can change in your own pipes, so a certified test is the only way to know what comes out of your tap.
Who provides tap water in Cambridge?
CAMBRIDGE WATER DEPARTMENT (PWS ID MA3049000) is the public water system on record for Cambridge, Massachusetts, serving about 118,214 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding.
Where does Cambridge get its drinking water?
Surface water (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS).
Are PFAS "forever chemicals" in Cambridge's water?
Yes. In EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12), PFOA was measured at 4.8 ng/L against a 4 ng/L federal limit. PFHxA (3.1 ng/L, below the 400,000 ng/L state limit) was also detected. PFPeA (3.6 ng/L) was also detected; it has no federal or state limit. Reverse osmosis and filters certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS reduce them at the tap.
Is there lead in Cambridge's tap water?
CAMBRIDGE WATER DEPARTMENT's most recent lead 90th-percentile result (2021–2023) was 8 µg/L, below the 15 µg/L action level. That figure comes from sampled homes; lead usually enters from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so only a test at your tap tells you what you drink.
What does the latest Cambridge water report show?
PurityMap's current record for Cambridge holds 31 findings: 1 above a reference, 2 detected within the reference, 1 detected with no limit and 27 not detected. Each finding links to its dated public record; a parameter that was never monitored is shown as pending, not as a pass.
Follow this water
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Sources and dataAll 31 records and their sourcesEPA UCMR 5 · EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule)
| Contaminant | Result | Benchmark | Sampled | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | 4.8 ng/L | 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CAMBRIDGE WATER DEPARTMENT (MA3049000) |
| Lead (90th percentile) | 8 µg/L | 15 µg/L federal action level | 2021–2023 monitoring period | Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CAMBRIDGE WATER DEPARTMENT (MA3049000) |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) | 3.1 ng/L | 400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state) | 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CAMBRIDGE WATER DEPARTMENT (MA3049000) |
| Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | 3.6 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12 | UCMR5 Analytical Results: CAMBRIDGE WATER DEPARTMENT (MA3049000) |
27 other contaminants tested — none detected
- Result
- 4.8 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
- Result
- 8 µg/L
- Benchmark
- 15 µg/L federal action level
- Sampled
- 2021–2023 monitoring period
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
- Result
- 3.1 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
- Result
- 3.6 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
27 other contaminants tested — none detected
11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS)
- Result
- < 2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
- Result
- < 9 µg/L
- Benchmark
- 10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA)
- Result
- < 6 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)
- Result
- < 20 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)
- Result
- < 8 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)
- Result
- < 7 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)
- Result
- < 2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-09-13 to 2024-06-12
Every value is the published result from the cited public record. A reporting limit is the lowest level the method could reliably quantify; a non-detect is not a guarantee of zero.
UCMR5 Analytical Results
UCMR5 Analytical Results: CAMBRIDGE WATER DEPARTMENT (MA3049000)
US EPA
State SDWIS Compliance Record
Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CAMBRIDGE WATER DEPARTMENT (MA3049000)
US EPA SDWIS
Methodology: how we analyze water. Prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the PurityMap Editorial Team before publication.
Something off with your water's smell, color or taste?
Start with the hot-or-cold tap check. Where Cambridge Water Department reported something related, it's shown below.
- Rotten-egg smell
- Cloudy or milky water
- Chlorine smell
- Brown or yellow water
- Metallic taste
Lead at Cambridge Water Department: 8 µg/L (90th percentile, 2021–2023 monitoring period). Lead has no taste, so a taste neither shows nor rules it out.