Worcester
Worcester, MA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
worcester dpwp, water supply division
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID MA2348000
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 184,815 residents, Worcester ranks as the 3rd-largest city in Massachusetts and a mid-sized city. Water in Worcester 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, Worcester faces moderate to severe drought conditions.
The Massachusetts state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Worcester's water future.
Worcester County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~184,815 (3rd-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 Worcester?
Worcester's largest water system, WORCESTER DPWP, WATER SUPPLY DIVISION, serves about 206,518 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 2 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Worcester get its water?
WORCESTER DPWP, WATER SUPPLY DIVISION 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