Loading water data...
Not health advice. Contact your local water utility for concerns.
Data from EPA Water Quality Reports. For official information, contact your water utility or health department.
EPA records for PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT • Updated September 2026
Grade A — based on EPA compliance records, lead testing and PFAS monitoring
PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT has a clean recent record: no health-based violations in the last five years and no lead, PFAS or historical monitoring result that costs it more than a few points.
Yes — by EPA's records, Pittsfield's tap water earns a A: no health-based violations in five years, lead at 1.7 ppb (90th percentile) and no PFAS detected. Lead from home plumbing is the main remaining risk.
By EPA's records, yes. PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT earns a A: no health-based violations in the last five years, a lead 90th-percentile result of 1.7 ppb, and no PFAS detected in UCMR5 sampling. Lead from your own plumbing is the main risk city data cannot see.
PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2023-01-01 to 2023-12-31) was 1.7 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 232 UCMR5 PFAS results for PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT (2023-11-20 to 2026-01-12) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT has 3 violations on file since 2016: 0 health-based in the last five years and 0 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 43,927 people (EPA PWSID MA1236000).
Not on the strength of EPA's data for PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT. A filter still helps with taste and with lead from your own plumbing, which no city-level test can measure.
Want to know what's really in your Pittsfield tap water?
EPA data describes water leaving the plant — a certified mail-in lab test shows what reaches your own faucet, including lead from household plumbing.
Tap Score certified lab · Amazon. We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT · SDWIS records since 2016 · 5-year window starts 2021-09-07
EPA records no health-based violations for this system in the last five years. Older health-based violations (since 2016) are listed below for context.
| Violation | Category | Compliance period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treatment Technique (SWTR and GWR)Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment technique | 2016-06-01 → 2016-06-30 | Archived |
| Consumer Confidence Report Inadequate ReportingConsumer Confidence Rule | Other | 2024-07-02 | Unaddressed |
| Consumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to ReportConsumer Confidence Rule | Other | 2017-07-01 | Resolvedreturned 2017-08-28 |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_VIOLATIONS_ENFORCEMENT.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile results reported by PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT
Well below the 15 ppb action level. In the most recent monitoring period on file (2023-01-01 to 2023-12-31), 90% of the homes PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT sampled had lead at or below 1.7 ppb.
EPA's action level is 15 ppb (dropping to 10 ppb under the 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements). There is no safe level of lead; the 90th-percentile figure describes the system, not your tap — homes with lead service lines or pre-1986 plumbing can be higher.
| Monitoring period | Lead 90th percentile | vs 15 ppb action level |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-01-01 → 2023-12-31 | 1.7 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2018-01-01 → 2020-12-31 | 3.6 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2015-01-01 → 2017-12-31 | 2.4 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2012-01-01 → 2014-12-31 | 2.1 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2010-01-01 → 2012-12-31 | 2.5 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2006-01-01 → 2008-12-31 | 4.6 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2005-01-01 → 2005-12-31 | 5.8 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2002-01-01 → 2002-12-31 | 11.3 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 1999-01-01 → 1999-12-31 | 10 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 1996-01-01 → 1996-12-31 | 15 ppb | Above the 15 ppb action level |
| 1995-01-01 → 1995-12-31 | 12 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 1994-01-01 → 1994-12-31 | 6 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_LCR_SAMPLES.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA UCMR5 monitoring, 2023-11-20 to 2026-01-12 · 232 PFAS results at entry points to the distribution system
No PFAS detected. None of the 232 UCMR5 PFAS results for PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT were at or above the method reporting limit. Reporting limits are about 3–5 ppt, so “not detected” means below that threshold — not proven zero.
| Compound | Detects / samples | Max (ppt) | Reporting limit | EPA MCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 0 / 8 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS | 0 / 8 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS | 0 / 8 | < 3 | 3 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFNA | 0 / 8 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA | 0 / 8 | < 5 | 5 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFBS | 0 / 8 | < 3 | 3 ppt | hazard index only |
“< 4 ppt” means below the laboratory reporting limit, not zero. ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). Results are for finished water leaving the treatment plant.
Lithium (also monitored under UCMR5, not a PFAS): detected in 1 of 8 samples, max 10.2 µg/L. There is no federal limit for lithium.
What PFAS are and how to remove them →
Source: UCMR5 occurrence data, EPA Data Summary July 2026 (UCMR5_All.txt)
EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance samples for PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT · finished water only · dated data, released 2024
These are the regulated-contaminant samples PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT reported to its state between 2012 and 2019 — the most recent nationwide sample-level dataset EPA has published. Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) is flagged below; the status column explains why. Treat this as history, not today's tap water.
| Contaminant | Samples | Average | Max | EPA limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | 140 detects | 0 µg/L | ND | 10 µg/LMCL | Not detected |
| Nitrate (as N) | 147 detects | 0.037 mg/L | 0.12 mg/L | 10 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Fluoride | 140 detects | 0 mg/L | ND | 4 mg/LMCL | Not detected |
| Chromium (total) | 140 detects | 0 µg/L | ND | 100 µg/LMCL | Not detected |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) | 160 | 41.412 µg/L | 82 µg/L | 80 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | 1 single sample over MCL; average within limit |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) | 159 | 31.79 µg/L | 57 µg/L | 60 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
| Copper (tap samples) | 40 detects | 0 µg/L | ND | 1300 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
Averages count non-detects as zero. TTHM and HAA5 limits are locational running annual averages, so a single high sample is not a violation — we grade those on the average only. Lead and copper rows are individual tap samples and are shown for context; compliance (and our score) uses the 90th-percentile result above. LRAA = locational running annual average; ND = not detected.
Source: SYR4 Six-Year Review compliance monitoring data 2012–2019 (released 2024-03)
PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT · 15,293 service lines inventoried · Q2 2026 snapshot
PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT reports 36 service lines that are lead or galvanized-requiring-replacement (0.2% of the lines it has inventoried), plus 3,300 lines whose material is still unknown. A lead service line is the pipe between the water main and a building, so treated water can pick up lead after it leaves the plant — which city-level testing does not capture. Under EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, utilities must replace lead lines within 10 years starting in 2027.
Source: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory (Q2 2026) · PWS ID MA1236000 · See all Massachusetts lead service lines. We may earn a commission from filters and test kits, at no extra cost to you.
Surface-water systems draw from rivers, lakes or reservoirs and must filter and disinfect, which is why disinfection byproducts (TTHM, HAA5) are the readings to watch.
How to test your tap water and the treatment options that actually fit Pittsfield homes
The most reliable way to know what is actually coming out of your tap is a certified mail-in lab test. City-wide EPA data (like the report above) reflects the water leaving the treatment plant, but contaminants such as lead and copper can be picked up from your own service line and household plumbing — so the water at your Pittsfield faucet can differ from the system average. A state-certified lab measures dozens of contaminants at once with results you can trust; you can also find one near you through the EPA's certified-lab list at epa.gov/dwlabcert. Hardware-store test strips are cheaper and instant, but they only screen for a few basics (chlorine, hardness, pH, and a rough lead pass/fail) and are far less accurate — treat them as a first look, not a diagnosis.
Match the treatment to what your test finds. Reverse osmosis (RO) removes the widest range of contaminants — lead, arsenic, nitrate, PFAS, and dissolved solids — which makes an under-sink reverse osmosis system the most thorough choice for Pittsfield households with heavy-metal or PFAS concerns. If your main issue is taste, odor, or chlorine, an activated carbon filter (pitcher, faucet, or under-sink) is simpler and cheaper and handles chlorine and many organic compounds well, though carbon alone does not remove arsenic, nitrate, or most PFAS. NSF-certified pitchers rated for lead reduction are the easiest way to start today while you decide on a permanent setup.
We may earn a commission from testing kits and filters purchased through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Pittsfield ranks #1 of 48 graded Massachusetts cities.
By EPA's records, yes. PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT earns a A: no health-based violations in the last five years, a lead 90th-percentile result of 1.7 ppb, and no PFAS detected in UCMR5 sampling. Lead from your own plumbing is the main risk city data cannot see.
PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2023-01-01 to 2023-12-31) was 1.7 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 232 UCMR5 PFAS results for PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT (2023-11-20 to 2026-01-12) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT has 3 violations on file since 2016: 0 health-based in the last five years and 0 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 43,927 people (EPA PWSID MA1236000).
Not on the strength of EPA's data for PITTSFIELD DPU WATER DEPT. A filter still helps with taste and with lead from your own plumbing, which no city-level test can measure.
Even with good water quality, a filter removes trace contaminants and improves taste.
For Everyday Peace of Mind
Brita Elite Pitcher
Your water already tests well — a simple carbon filter improves taste and catches trace contaminants.
Check Price on AmazonNot sure what filter you need?
Test your tap water first, so you filter for what's actually in it.
Shop Home Water Test Kits →We may earn a commission from Amazon and Waterdrop when you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you.
Find the right filter for your Pittsfield water quality needs:
Understand your water better with our in-depth guides on contaminants, filtration, and water safety.