In the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority's September 2025 sampling, the system-wide 90th percentile lead value was 5.96 ppb, well under the 15 ppb Action Level. Yet 18 of the 594 homes sampled were above the Action Level, and three member communities, Boston, Malden and Medford, exceeded it in 2025.
Clean source, local pipes
MWRA states that its water met every state and federal drinking water standard in 2025. The lead problem sits further down the line. MWRA sells water wholesale to 53 communities, and local bodies maintain about 6,000 miles of community water pipelines, including the service lines being replaced.
Paying for replacement
MWRA's Lead Service Line Replacement Loan and Grant Program offers up to US$200 million: US$100 million from 2016 and another US$100 million from 2024 that includes a 25% grant. By June 30, 2026, US$75.9 million had been distributed to 67 projects in 22 communities. MWRA's goal is for all lead service lines to be removed by 2032.
A bigger grant for Boston?
In September 2026 MWRA said it was piloting, with the Boston Water and Sewer Commission and the state revolving fund, a structure that combines a 25% MWRA grant with a 40% SRF grant for Boston replacements. It has not been adopted. Boston matters most to the outcome: the commission is budgeted to pay about 30.1% of MWRA's combined charges in FY2026.
What the lead program means for MWRA's service model, how the regional institutions divide responsibility and what else the network needs is covered in the full report. The full report, Water Systems Overview: Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, is available for USD 499. For a free overview, read the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Utility Snapshot.