Is There PFAS in Lowell Tap Water?
Lowell, MA: PFOA 4.6 ng/L, 1.1× EPA's 4 ng/L limit. Every PFAS result and filter certifications per compound.
3 of 29 PFAS detected
Each result is read against its own reference. Only PFOA has a federal limit. PFPeA has no federal or state limit and is shown for transparency, not graded.
- PFOAFederal MCLPerfluorooctanoic acid4.6ng/LAbove its limit · sampled 2023-03-22 to 2023-12-13Evidence
- PFHxAState MCL · MichiganPerfluorohexanoic acid4ng/LDetected, below its state limit · sampled 2023-03-22 to 2023-12-13Evidence
- PFPeANo limitPerfluoropentanoic acid3.9ng/L
No federal or state limit: shown for transparency, not graded.
Detected, no limit · sampled 2023-03-22 to 2023-12-13Evidence
- PFOAMCL4.6 ng/L
- PFOSMCLNot detected
- PFHxSMCLNot detected
- PFNAMCLNot detected
- HFPO-DA (GenX)MCLNot detected
- PFHxA4 ng/L
- PFPeA3.9 ng/L
- 11Cl-PF3OUdSNot detected
- 4:2 FTSNot detected
- 6:2 FTSNot detected
- 8:2 FTSNot detected
- 9Cl-PF3ONSNot detected
- ADONANot detected
- NEtFOSAANot detected
- NFDHANot detected
- NMeFOSAANot detected
- PFBANot detected
- PFBSNot detected
- PFDANot detected
- PFDoANot detected
- PFEESANot detected
- PFHpANot detected
- PFHpSNot detected
- PFMBANot detected
- PFMPANot detected
- PFPeSNot detected
- PFTANot detected
- PFTrDANot detected
- PFUnANot detected
MCL marks the 5 PFAS given a federal limit in EPA's 2024 rule. EPA has proposed rescinding three of those limits; they apply until a final rule.
PFOS across 681 cities with a detected value
3,077 more were below the lab's 4 ng/L reporting limit and aren't plotted, and 34 have no result on record. 63 cities above 25 ng/L are grouped in the last bar. A position here is not a verdict on the water.
have a regulated PFAS above the federal limit.
PFAS across Massachusetts →- LOWELL REGIONAL WATER UTILITY's water system as a whole, as reported to EPA UCMR 5.
- 29 PFAS compounds, each with its own result.
- Samples taken 2023-03-22 to 2023-12-13.
- The water at your tap. Building plumbing isn't in this record.
- PFAS not listed in the 29 above were not reported in these records.
- Levels since the last sample have not been published.
Test first, then match a certified method.
A tap test can confirm levels at your home before you choose treatment.
- PFOA · exceeds the limit
- PFHxA · detected below the limit
- PFPeA · detected, no federal or state limit
- Reverse osmosisOpen the method →
- Activated carbon (GAC)Open the method →
- Anion exchangeOpen the method →
Fit for Lowell’s PFAS, compound by compound
Each filter is checked against the 3 PFAS detected here. A ✓ needs a current certification record that names the compound. A PFAS claim on the box is not enough.
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.
- ✓Certified for this compound
- ?Claimed or likely, not established
- –No claim on record
Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under-Sink Filter (AQ-6300M)
Activated Carbon (Claryum)- PFOA4.6 ng/L✓Certified for this compound
- PFHxA4 ng/L–No claim on record
- PFPeA3.9 ng/L–No claim on record
Certified for PFOA; not established for PFHxA, PFPeA.
Aquasana Clean Water Machine Countertop Filter (AQ-CWM2)
Activated Carbon (Claryum)- PFOA4.6 ng/L✓Certified for this compound
- PFHxA4 ng/L–No claim on record
- PFPeA3.9 ng/L–No claim on record
Certified for PFOA; not established for PFHxA, PFPeA.
AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse-Osmosis Purifier (AT2000)
Reverse Osmosis- PFOA4.6 ng/L✓Certified for this compound
- PFHxA4 ng/L–No claim on record
- PFPeA3.9 ng/L–No claim on record
Certified for PFOA; not established for PFHxA, PFPeA.
Under-Sink Reverse-Osmosis System
Reverse Osmosis- PFOA4.6 ng/L✓Certified for this compound
- PFHxA4 ng/L–No claim on record
- PFPeA3.9 ng/L–No claim on record
Certified for PFOA; not established for PFHxA, PFPeA.
Waterdrop G3P600 Tankless Reverse-Osmosis System
Reverse Osmosis- PFOA4.6 ng/L✓Certified for this compound
- PFHxA4 ng/L–No claim on record
- PFPeA3.9 ng/L–No claim on record
Certified for PFOA; not established for PFHxA, PFPeA.
Whirlpool Filter 3 Refrigerator Water Filter (WHR3RXD1)
Activated Carbon- PFOA4.6 ng/L✓Certified for this compound
- PFHxA4 ng/L–No claim on record
- PFPeA3.9 ng/L–No claim on record
Certified for PFOA; not established for PFHxA, PFPeA.
- Browse, not a match:
- Brita Elite Water Filter Pitcher
- Clearly Filtered Pitcher (lab-tested, not NSF 53 certified)
- Culligan ZeroWater 10-Cup Pitcher (ZEROP10)
- Under-Sink Carbon Block Filter
Frequently asked
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Is there PFAS in Lowell tap water?
In EPA's UCMR 5 testing of LOWELL REGIONAL WATER UTILITY (2023-03-22 to 2023-12-13): PFHxA 4 ng/L (state limit 400,000), PFOA 4.6 ng/L (limit 4), PFPeA 3.9 ng/L (no federal or state limit) and the other 26 PFAS tested not detected. "Not detected" means below the lab's reporting limit, not proven zero.
What are the federal PFAS limits?
EPA's 2024 drinking-water rule set maximum contaminant levels of 4.0 ng/L for PFOA and for PFOS, and 10 ng/L for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX). In May 2026 EPA proposed keeping the PFOA and PFOS limits, with the option of until 2031 to comply, and rescinding the other three. Until a final rule, all five limits apply. Results above them today are above the limits in force.
How do I remove PFAS from my tap water?
Reverse-osmosis systems and filters certified to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 for PFOA/PFOS reduction are the proven options at the tap. Check the certifier's listing (NSF, WQA or IAPMO) for the exact model, and replace cartridges on schedule.
- UCMR5 Analytical ResultsUCMR5 Analytical Results: LOWELL REGIONAL WATER UTILITY (MA3160000)US EPA · 2026-01-15View source ↗
- State SDWIS Compliance RecordLead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: LOWELL REGIONAL WATER UTILITY (MA3160000)US EPA SDWIS · 2026-07-09View source ↗