Quincy
Quincy, MA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
quincy water dept. (mwra)
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID MA3243000
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 93,618 residents, Quincy ranks as the 9th-largest city in Massachusetts and a small but growing city. Water in Quincy is sourced chiefly from Quabbin Reservoir, rivers, and groundwater, the backbone of Massachusetts's supply.
The defining water pressure here mirrors the state's: aging infrastructure. The Quabbin system gives Boston a robust supply, while smaller systems wrestle with PFAS and lead pipes.
Statewide, Massachusetts recycles about 4% of its wastewater with minimal reuse programs. Locally, Quincy faces moderate to severe drought conditions.
The Massachusetts state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Quincy's water future.
Norfolk County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~93,618 (9th-largest in Massachusetts)
- Primary sources: Quabbin Reservoir, rivers, and groundwater
- Drought: moderate to severe conditions
- State reuse rate: ~4% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Massachusetts in severe+ drought (Severe (D2) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Quincy?
Quincy's largest water system, QUINCY WATER DEPT. (MWRA), serves about 106,000 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 8.7 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Quincy get its water?
QUINCY WATER DEPT. (MWRA) draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Massachusetts's supply from Quabbin Reservoir, rivers, groundwater.
Related water issues
Aging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
ExplorePFAS Contamination
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances persist in water supplies for decades. New federal limits are forcing utilities nationwide to invest in advanced treatment.
Explore