Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
PEABODY WATER DEPT.
PEABODY WATER DEPT. delivers tap water graded F (48/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 54,481 residents in PEABODY, Massachusetts using surface water. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline; Arsenic detected. For questions, the utility can be reached at 9785360600.
Is PEABODY tap water safe to drink?
PEABODY WATER DEPT. delivers tap water that earns a grade of F (48/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a poor rating, with significant contamination concerns and/or recent violations.
The utility serves 54,481 residents in PEABODY, drawing from surface water.
Public testing data identifies 19 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Bromodichloromethane, Arsenic, Dichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Trichloroacetic acid, Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Dibromochloromethane, Dibromoacetic acid, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Chromium (hexavalent), Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA), Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA), Cadmium, Chlorate. 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 PEABODY residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for PEABODY WATER DEPT..
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 1.07 ppt, 1072x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 32.0 ppb, 533x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 29.4 ppb, 294x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Arsenic detected
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 0.386 ppb.
Contact PEABODY 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 PEABODY
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.
Reverse Osmosis
$249-$750Arsenic is most effectively removed by reverse osmosis. Some specialized adsorptive filters also work.
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 48/100 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
1.07 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 1072× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
32.0 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 533× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
29.4 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 294× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
41.7 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 278× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
10.1 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 169× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
0.386 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 97× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
17.9 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 90× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
26.9 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 67× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
6.31 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 63× over |
| Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) PFAS |
0.233 ppt | 0.006 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 39× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
3.43 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 38× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
3.4 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 34× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.506 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 17× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
1.97 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 6.6× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.0419 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.1× over |
| Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA) PFAS |
0.01 ppt | 0.006 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.7× over |
| Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) PFAS |
0.009 ppt | 0.006 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.5× over |
| Cadmium Heavy metal |
0.053 ppb | 0.04 | 5.0 | 5 | 3 | 0.04 | — | 1.3× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
264.5 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.3× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.13 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
33.0 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
0.129 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
128.0 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Monobromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.43 ppb | 25.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.24 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
27.8 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.23 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Selenium Heavy metal |
0.259 ppb | 30.0 | 50.0 | 20 | 40 | 30 | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
3.43 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
1.86 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
2.21 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.0907 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.207 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Nitrite Inorganic |
0.0511 ppm | — | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Quinoline Other |
0.00757 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | 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.
PEABODY 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 PEABODY water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.