Key:
Green = 0 ppt reported for all PFAS
Yellow = PFAS detected at a total of less 20.5 ppt
Red = PFAS detected at a total greater than 20.5 ppt
The map shows the results for 261 cities and towns which contain one or more public water systems that the state has tested for up to 18 longer-chain chemicals in EPA Method 537.1, including the six regulated ones ("PFAS6"):
- Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
- Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)
- Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)
- Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)
- Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)
PFAS have been detected in 87% of all tested communities. This compares to just 70% when testing for the PFAS6. The average amount detected increases significantly too. So the more PFAS chemicals that you test for, the more PFAS you find.
Here is the sum of the maximum observed value for each PFAS across all locations of the public water systems within a municipality since 2016 as of Oct. 17, 2021:
| City/Town | Total number of PFAS Chemicals Detected | Total number of PFAS Chemicals Tested | Total Amount of PFAS Detected (ppt) |
| ACTON | 11 | 18 | 125.6 |
| ADAMS | 1 | 18 | 1.7 |
| AMESBURY | 6 | 18 | 4.4 |
| AMHERST | 2 | 6 | 0.9 |
| ANDOVER | 4 | 6 | 14.3 |
| ASHBURNHAM | 2 | 6 | 2.2 |
| ASHBY | 3 | 15 | 4.0 |
| ASHFIELD | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| ASHLAND | 5 | 6 | 12.5 |
| ATHOL | 5 | 6 | 12.2 |
| ATTLEBORO | 7 | 18 | 54.3 |
| AUBURN | 6 | 18 | 29.4 |
| AYER | 13 | 18 | 581.9 |
| BARNSTABLE | 7 | 18 | 401.8 |
| BARRE | 2 | 6 | 1.8 |
| BECKET | 7 | 18 | 32.6 |
| BEDFORD | n/a | n/a | >20.5 |
| BELCHERTOWN | 3 | 18 | 5.3 |
| BELLINGHAM | 8 | 18 | 67.0 |
| BERLIN | 7 | 18 | 29.0 |
| BEVERLY | 5 | 14 | 8.0 |
| BILLERICA | 5 | 6 | 22.1 |
| BLACKSTONE | 6 | 18 | 31.0 |
| BLANDFORD | 3 | 6 | 1.9 |
| BOLTON | 6 | 18 | 59.0 |
| BOURNE | 6 | 18 | 9.0 |
| BOXBOROUGH | 10 | 18 | 108.8 |
| BOXFORD | 4 | 6 | 5.7 |
| BRAINTREE | 7 | 18 | 33.8 |
| BREWSTER | 1 | 6 | 0.3 |
| BRIDGEWATER | 8 | 18 | 37.5 |
| BRIMFIELD | 3 | 18 | 2.4 |
| BROCKTON | 10 | 18 | 50.9 |
| BROOKFIELD | 5 | 18 | 5.7 |
| BURLINGTON | 8 | 18 | 71.8 |
| CAMBRIDGE | 7 | 18 | 26.6 |
| CANTON | 6 | 18 | 17.0 |
| CARLISLE | 9 | 18 | 151.1 |
| CARVER | 4 | 18 | 2.9 |
| CHARLEMONT | 2 | 18 | 2.6 |
| CHARLTON | 4 | 6 | 28.2 |
| CHATHAM | 4 | 6 | 42.4 |
| CHELMSFORD | 8 | 18 | 42.0 |
| CHESHIRE | 6 | 18 | 16.3 |
| CHESTER | 1 | 6 | 1.6 |
| CHESTERFIELD | 4 | 18 | 6.2 |
| CLARKSBURG | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| CLINTON | 3 | 6 | 4.3 |
| COHASSET | 7 | 18 | 30.7 |
| CONCORD | 4 | 6 | 14.4 |
| CONWAY | 1 | 6 | 1.2 |
| CUMMINGTON | 1 | 18 | 0.9 |
| DALTON | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| DANVERS | n/a | n/a | >20.5 |
| DARTMOUTH | 5 | 18 | 12.3 |
| DEDHAM | 6 | 6 | 23.7 |
| DEERFIELD | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| DENNIS | 4 | 18 | 4.1 |
| DIGHTON | 8 | 18 | 20.1 |
| DOUGLAS | 4 | 18 | 7.4 |
| DOVER | 6 | 18 | 11.2 |
| DRACUT | 7 | 18 | 26.9 |
| DUDLEY | 8 | 18 | 51.3 |
| DUXBURY | 4 | 6 | 105.2 |
| EAST BRIDGEWATER | 4 | 6 | 9.3 |
| EASTHAM | 7 | 18 | 95.5 |
| EASTHAMPTON | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| EASTON | 7 | 18 | 76.1 |
| EDGARTOWN | 2 | 6 | 1.0 |
| EGREMONT | 2 | 6 | 2.8 |
| ERVING | 3 | 18 | 5.5 |
| FALL RIVER | 2 | 18 | 5.3 |
| FALMOUTH | 6 | 18 | 61.7 |
| FITCHBURG | 4 | 18 | 6.8 |
| FOXBOROUGH | 7 | 18 | 41.0 |
| FRANKLIN | 8 | 18 | 65.8 |
| FREETOWN | 5 | 6 | 20.4 |
| GARDNER | 7 | 18 | 12.5 |
| GILL | 4 | 18 | 21.5 |
| GLOUCESTER | 3 | 6 | 2.6 |
| GOSHEN | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| GRAFTON | 7 | 18 | 83.7 |
| GRANBY | 6 | 18 | 44.3 |
| GRANVILLE | 2 | 18 | 1.8 |
| GREAT BARRINGTON | 1 | 18 | 0.7 |
| GREENFIELD | 4 | 18 | 3.0 |
| GROTON | 2 | 18 | 4.8 |
| GROVELAND | 7 | 18 | 31.4 |
| HADLEY | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| HAMPDEN | 8 | 18 | 32.1 |
| HANCOCK | 2 | 6 | 3.0 |
| HANOVER | 8 | 18 | 50.4 |
| HARDWICK | 2 | 18 | 2.8 |
| HARVARD | 10 | 18 | 143.6 |
| HARWICH | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| HATFIELD | 6 | 18 | 23.0 |
| HAVERHILL | 4 | 6 | 4.9 |
| HAWLEY | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| HINGHAM | 5 | 14 | 20.0 |
| HINSDALE | 3 | 18 | 3.6 |
| HOLBROOK | 5 | 6 | 24.3 |
| HOLDEN | 6 | 18 | 97.3 |
| HOLLISTON | 6 | 18 | 31.4 |
| HOLYOKE | 2 | 6 | 1.1 |
| HOPEDALE | 7 | 18 | 50.7 |
| HOPKINTON | 4 | 6 | 7.1 |
| HUBBARDSTON | 6 | 18 | 25.7 |
| HUDSON | 9 | 18 | 776.8 |
| HUNTINGTON | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| IPSWICH | 6 | 6 | 30.4 |
| KINGSTON | 9 | 18 | 30.6 |
| LAKEVILLE | 4 | 6 | >20.5 |
| LANCASTER | 9 | 18 | 101.0 |
| LANESBOROUGH | 6 | 18 | 160.9 |
| LAWRENCE | 6 | 18 | 15.3 |
| LEE | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| LEICESTER | 7 | 18 | 36.7 |
| LENOX | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| LEOMINSTER | 9 | 18 | 10.0 |
| LEVERETT | 8 | 14 | 10.4 |
| LITTLETON | 9 | 18 | 42.0 |
| LONGMEADOW | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| LOWELL | 5 | 6 | 8.1 |
| LUDLOW | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| LUNENBURG | 6 | 18 | 18.2 |
| LYNN | 6 | 18 | 16.2 |
| LYNNFIELD | 7 | 18 | 47.4 |
| MANSFIELD | 6 | 18 | 31.6 |
| MARION | 4 | 6 | 6.7 |
| MARSHFIELD | 5 | 6 | 13.6 |
| MASHPEE | 6 | 14 | 234.5 |
| MATTAPOISETT | 2 | 6 | 2.7 |
| MAYNARD | 8 | 18 | 25.5 |
| MEDFIELD | 4 | 6 | 18.6 |
| MENDON | 8 | 18 | 152.2 |
| METHUEN | 5 | 18 | 9.3 |
| MIDDLEBOROUGH | 7 | 18 | 26.7 |
| MIDDLEFIELD | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| MIDDLETON | 5 | 6 | 31.2 |
| MILFORD | 5 | 6 | 10.0 |
| MILLBURY | 7 | 14 | 126.0 |
| MILLIS | 8 | 18 | 47.1 |
| MONROE | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| MONSON | 7 | 18 | 50.3 |
| MONTAGUE | 3 | 6 | 4.6 |
| MONTEREY | 6 | 18 | 10.9 |
| MONTGOMERY | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| MOUNT WASHINGTON | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| NATICK | 11 | 18 | 112.1 |
| NEEDHAM | 7 | 18 | 21.9 |
| NEW BEDFORD | 10 | 18 | 9.2 |
| NEW MARLBOROUGH | 2 | 18 | 1.6 |
| NEW SALEM | 8 | 18 | 80.9 |
| NEWBURY | 7 | 18 | 53.1 |
| NEWBURYPORT | 5 | 6 | 112.0 |
| NORFOLK | 4 | 6 | 17.7 |
| NORTH ADAMS | 2 | 6 | 1.8 |
| NORTH ANDOVER | 3 | 6 | 3.4 |
| NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH | 7 | 18 | 58.9 |
| NORTH READING | n/a | n/a | >20.5 |
| NORTHAMPTON | 4 | 14 | 6.3 |
| NORTHBOROUGH | 5 | 6 | 5.7 |
| NORTHFIELD | 3 | 18 | 2.4 |
| NORWELL | 5 | 6 | 31.7 |
| OAK BLUFFS | 4 | 6 | 6.7 |
| OAKHAM | 3 | 6 | 19.5 |
| ORLEANS | 1 | 6 | 0.5 |
| OTIS | 2 | 18 | 12.2 |
| OXFORD | 4 | 7 | 7.5 |
| PALMER | 6 | 18 | 19.1 |
| PEABODY | 7 | 18 | 21.9 |
| PEPPERELL | 4 | 6 | 28.4 |
| PERU | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| PETERSHAM | 7 | 18 | 66.8 |
| PITTSFIELD | 6 | 18 | 6.8 |
| PLAINFIELD | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| PLAINVILLE | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| PLYMOUTH | 6 | 18 | 7.4 |
| PLYMPTON | 7 | 18 | 12.2 |
| PRINCETON | 7 | 18 | 440.0 |
| PROVINCETOWN | 1 | 6 | 0.3 |
| RANDOLPH | 7 | 18 | 35.2 |
| RAYNHAM | 9 | 18 | 106.3 |
| REHOBOTH | 5 | 6 | 40.3 |
| RICHMOND | 3 | 18 | 8.5 |
| ROCHESTER | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| ROCKLAND | 7 | 18 | 44.6 |
| ROYALSTON | 1 | 6 | 0.4 |
| RUTLAND | 5 | 18 | 5.7 |
| SALISBURY | 0 | 0 | 13.1 |
| SANDISFIELD | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| SANDWICH | 5 | 18 | 36.9 |
| SAVOY | 5 | 18 | 15.3 |
| SCITUATE | 6 | 18 | 11.4 |
| SEEKONK | 9 | 18 | 41.5 |
| SHARON | 6 | 18 | 122.7 |
| SHEFFIELD | 1 | 6 | 1.1 |
| SHELBURNE | 1 | 6 | 0.3 |
| SHERBORN | 4 | 6 | 20.8 |
| SHIRLEY | 7 | 18 | 43.0 |
| SHREWSBURY | 9 | 18 | 44.6 |
| SHUTESBURY | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| SOMERSET | 4 | 6 | 7.3 |
| SOUTH HADLEY | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| SOUTHAMPTON | 1 | 15 | 0.6 |
| SOUTHBRIDGE | 2 | 6 | 1.4 |
| SOUTHWICK | 6 | 14 | 10.5 |
| SPENCER | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| SPRINGFIELD | 2 | 18 | 1.3 |
| STERLING | 8 | 18 | 81.5 |
| STOCKBRIDGE | 4 | 18 | 8.1 |
| STOUGHTON | 7 | 18 | 32.0 |
| STOW | 9 | 18 | 177.1 |
| STURBRIDGE | 7 | 18 | 17.5 |
| SUDBURY | 5 | 6 | 24.0 |
| SUNDERLAND | 5 | 18 | 5.1 |
| SUTTON | 6 | 18 | >20.5 |
| SWANSEA | 6 | 18 | 22.1 |
| TAUNTON | 5 | 6 | 7.4 |
| TEMPLETON | 3 | 18 | 11.8 |
| TEWKSBURY | 5 | 6 | 8.3 |
| TISBURY | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| TOPSFIELD | 8 | 18 | 29.7 |
| TOWNSEND | 8 | 18 | 110.5 |
| TYNGSBOROUGH | 7 | 18 | 42.3 |
| UXBRIDGE | 7 | 18 | 26.2 |
| WAKEFIELD | 7 | 18 | 25.3 |
| WALES | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| WALPOLE | 12 | 18 | 55.1 |
| WARE | 4 | 6 | 12.6 |
| WAREHAM | 3 | 18 | 4.5 |
| WARREN | 4 | 18 | 6.5 |
| WARWICK | 4 | 6 | 3.3 |
| WASHINGTON | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| WAYLAND | 7 | 18 | 48.3 |
| WEBSTER | 5 | 6 | 19.5 |
| WELLESLEY | 5 | 6 | 47.9 |
| WENDELL | 0 | 18 | 0.0 |
| WENHAM | 6 | 18 | 25.9 |
| WEST BOYLSTON | 2 | 18 | 1.0 |
| WEST BRIDGEWATER | 9 | 18 | 35.8 |
| WEST SPRINGFIELD | 4 | 18 | 5.5 |
| WEST STOCKBRIDGE | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| WEST TISBURY | 3 | 6 | 4.9 |
| WESTBOROUGH | 7 | 18 | 36.4 |
| WESTFIELD | 7 | 18 | 345.9 |
| WESTFORD | 7 | 18 | 35.5 |
| WESTHAMPTON | 4 | 18 | 6.4 |
| WESTPORT | 7 | 18 | 68.6 |
| WEYMOUTH | 8 | 18 | 53.2 |
| WHATELY | 1 | 6 | 1.3 |
| WILLIAMSBURG | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| WILLIAMSTOWN | 5 | 6 | 34.6 |
| WILMINGTON | 7 | 18 | 44.4 |
| WINCHESTER | 2 | 6 | 2.2 |
| WINDSOR | 0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| WOBURN | 8 | 18 | 33.9 |
| WORCESTER | 4 | 6 | 3.6 |
| WORTHINGTON | 4 | 18 | 13.8 |
| WRENTHAM | 4 | 12 | 10.4 |
| YARMOUTH | 7 | 18 | 54.2 |
| AVERAGE | 7 | 18 | 35.3 |
For the full study behind this data, click here.