Reviewed source snapshot Last reviewed: 2026-05-23. Primary system checked: Newburyport Water Department, PWSID MA3206000.
At a glance for Newburyport ZIP 01950
Newburyport Water Department
The MassDEP document record identifies the system as Newburyport Water Department, PWSID 3206000, class COM, status active, with mailing ZIP 01950.
Surface water + groundwater
The report says about 80% of drinking water comes from surface supplies and about 20% comes from groundwater wells along Ferry Road.
Match the test to the concern
For unknown concerns, start with a broad test. For PFAS or lead, use contaminant-specific testing or review official records before choosing filtration.
What the official Newburyport report says
The Newburyport report we reviewed is labeled reporting year 2023 and covers testing performed between January 1 and December 31, 2023. It was listed through MassDEP's public water supplier document search as the 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for PWSID 3206000.
| Topic | Official-source detail | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Source water | Surface supplies make up about 80% of water: Indian Hill Reservoir, the Artichoke Reservoirs, and Bartlett Spring Pond, which the report says was temporarily offline. Groundwater makes up about 20% from two Ferry Road gravel-packed wells. | Useful for understanding local system context. It does not identify conditions inside one home. |
| Treatment | Surface water treatment includes coagulation/sedimentation, mixed-media filtration, chlorine disinfection, pH adjustment, corrosion inhibitor, and fluoridation. Well water is treated with chlorine, fluoride, corrosion inhibitor, and pH adjustment. | Useful context before interpreting taste, chlorine odor, corrosion, lead, and general treatment questions. |
| PFAS6 | The 2023 table reports PFAS6 at 5.73 ppt, range 1.72–6.62 ppt, against a Massachusetts MCL of 20 ppt, with no violation listed. | This is a system-level result. PFAS cannot be evaluated by taste or smell; use PFAS-specific testing if your household needs a faucet-level answer. |
| Lead and copper | Lead and copper tap samples were reported from 2021. Lead was listed as not detected at the 90th percentile, with 0 of 30 sites above the action level and no violation listed. Copper was 0.089 ppm at the 90th percentile, with 0 of 30 sites above the action level and no violation listed. | Helpful compliance context, but lead can come from premise plumbing. Older homes, service-line uncertainty, fixtures, or baby-formula concerns still justify tap testing. |
| Hardness and sodium | Total hardness was reported at 94.9 ppm, range 38.6–94.9 ppm. Sodium was reported at 42 ppm. | These can inform taste, scale, appliance, softening, and low-sodium diet questions, but treatment choices should be based on your actual goals and current test results. |
What official reports cannot prove about your faucet
Consumer Confidence Reports are system-level documents. They are not a lab test of your kitchen tap, and ZIP codes can cross water-system boundaries. Household plumbing, service lines, fixture materials, private wells, treatment maintenance, stagnant water, and recent plumbing work can change what shows up at one faucet.
Best next step by concern in Newburyport
If your concern is lead
Use a lead-specific first-draw tap test, especially in older homes, homes with service-line uncertainty, or homes used for infant formula. Then compare certified point-of-use options if lead is confirmed or risk is unresolved.
If your concern is PFAS
The CCR table gives system-level PFAS6 context, but PFAS needs a lab-backed or PFAS-specific test when the household decision matters. Do not rely on taste, odor, or basic strips.
If you are on a private well
Municipal CCRs do not describe private well conditions. Start with bacteria, nitrate, pH, hardness, iron/manganese, arsenic, lead, PFAS if locally relevant, and any land-use/geology concerns.
If it is taste, odor, staining, or scale
Start with basic chemistry: hardness, pH, chlorine, iron/manganese, sodium, and any visible sediment. This avoids buying RO when the real problem is whole-house comfort, or buying whole-house equipment when the real issue is drinking-water-specific.
Testing-first buyer path
The highest-value path is not “buy a filter now.” It is: identify the concern, test the water, then buy the smallest certified system that solves the verified problem.
- Unknown issue: start with a broad home water test kit.
- PFAS or drinking-water contaminants: compare PFAS-capable testing and reverse osmosis options.
- Lead: use first-draw lead testing and verify lead-reduction certification before buying.
- Whole-house symptoms: test hardness, iron, manganese, sediment, pH, and odor before buying a whole-house system.
Get a free Newburyport water quality report
Send your ZIP code, water source, and main concern. We’ll send a practical local snapshot with official sources and a test-first next-step plan. No faucet-level claims without testing.
Newburyport water quality FAQ
Is Newburyport tap water quality the same at every home?
No. Official reports describe system-level water quality. Your faucet can differ because of service lines, premise plumbing, fixtures, private wells, stagnant water, and recent plumbing work.
What should Newburyport residents test for first?
Start with the concern that changes the buying decision: lead for older plumbing, PFAS when local reports or risk factors suggest it, bacteria/nitrate for private wells, and hardness/iron/manganese for scale, staining, taste, or odor.
Should I buy a filter before testing?
Usually no. Testing first helps avoid buying the wrong system. Pitchers, carbon filters, reverse osmosis, and whole-house systems solve different problems and should be matched to current lab results and certifications.
Sources checked
- MassDEP Public Water Supplier Document Search — official state document search used to verify Newburyport Water Department, PWSID 3206000, and locate the CCR.
- Newburyport Water Department Consumer Confidence Report PDF — MassDEP-listed 2024 CCR file for the report reviewed here.
- City of Newburyport 2024 Water Quality Report listing — official city file URL; automated access may show a security challenge.
- MassDEP PFAS in Drinking Water — statewide PFAS context for Massachusetts drinking-water questions.
- MassDEP Private Well Guidelines — statewide private-well context for households not served by public water.
Correction or better source?
If you have a newer Newburyport water report, a water bill showing a different utility, or a household-specific test result you want help interpreting, use the free report form and include the source details in your notes.