Tap Water Quality Report
Tap water quality in FALMOUTH, Massachusetts
Tap water in FALMOUTH, Massachusetts receives a grade of F (50/100) from TapWaterSafety.org. It's served by FALMOUTH WATER DEPT. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline. Data sources: EPA SDWIS, EPA ECHO, EWG Tap Water Database.
What's in FALMOUTH's tap water
Top water quality concerns identified by the EPA and Environmental Working Group across the utility serving FALMOUTH.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernPerfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) detected at 1.55 ppt, 1554x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 16.3 ppb, 109x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 6.5 ppb, 108x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Recommended filters for FALMOUTH
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in FALMOUTH's water supply.
Reverse Osmosis or NSF P473 certified carbon
$80-$750Activated carbon and RO are the only technologies proven to remove PFAS at certified levels.
Carbon block (NSF/ANSI 42 + 53)
$40-$750Activated carbon is highly effective for disinfection byproducts like TTHM and HAA5.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
All contaminants detected in FALMOUTH's tap water
Every contaminant identified, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal. Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
1.55 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 1554× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
16.3 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 109× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
6.5 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 108× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
4.78 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 80× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
4.04 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 40× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.14 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 38× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
3.58 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 36× over |
| Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) PFAS |
0.127 ppt | 0.006 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 21× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
5.46 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 14× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
1.25 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 14× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.05 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 10× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.819 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 5.8× over |
| Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) Volatile organic compound |
0.279 ppb | 0.06 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 4.6× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.0805 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 4.0× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
1.03 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 3.4× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.207 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.1× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
0.8 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.6× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
84.3 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
8.86 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
18.3 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (N-EtFOSAA) PFAS |
0.012 ppt | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
5.0 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.265 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.058 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monobromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0236 ppb | 25.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
0.894 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
0.331 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
0.599 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.0272 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines, California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
Treatment plant contact info
For service issues, water quality concerns, or to request a Consumer Confidence Report from FALMOUTH WATER DEPT.