Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
HAVERHILL WATER DEPT
HAVERHILL WATER DEPT delivers tap water graded F (53/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 63,235 residents in HAVERHILL, Massachusetts using surface water. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline; Bromodichloromethane significantly above health guideline. For questions, the utility can be reached at 9783742385.
Is HAVERHILL tap water safe to drink?
HAVERHILL WATER DEPT delivers tap water that earns a grade of F (53/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a poor rating, with significant contamination concerns and/or recent violations.
The utility serves 63,235 residents in HAVERHILL, drawing from surface water.
Public testing data identifies 13 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Bromodichloromethane, Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Trichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Dichloroacetic acid, Dibromochloromethane, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Dibromoacetic acid, Chromium (hexavalent), Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). For most residents, a properly certified home filter at the kitchen tap is the most cost-effective way to reduce exposure to whatever's in your water. See our filter recommendations below, matched specifically to this utility's contaminant profile.
Quick actions for HAVERHILL residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for HAVERHILL WATER DEPT.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 20.2 ppb, 337x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 49.8 ppb, 332x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Bromodichloromethane significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernBromodichloromethane detected at 13.0 ppb, 217x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Contact HAVERHILL WATER DEPT
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Treatment Plant
Recommended water filters for HAVERHILL
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this 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.
Score breakdown
This utility's overall score of 53/100 breaks down across five weighted components. Read the full methodology →
Contaminants detected — international standards comparison
Every contaminant detected, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal (the strictest US benchmark). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
20.2 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 337× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
49.8 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 332× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
13.0 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 217× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
19.9 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 199× over |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
0.136 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 136× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
10.3 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 103× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
32.6 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 81× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
8.02 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 40× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
3.14 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 31× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
1.38 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 15× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.269 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 9.0× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.135 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 6.7× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
0.508 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 1.7× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
158.9 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perchlorate Disinfection byproduct |
0.11 ppb | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
9.88 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA) PFAS |
0.068 ppt | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (N-EtFOSAA) PFAS |
0.06 ppt | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.28 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.388 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
11.0 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
0.55 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
0.662 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
0.497 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
0.576 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.147 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.7 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | 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 (4th ed.), California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
HAVERHILL WATER DEPT service area
This water system serves 1 community in Essex County, Massachusetts. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for HAVERHILL water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.