Home hazard report for 02144 — Somerville, MA
ZIP 02144 is served by Somerville Water Dept. (MWRA): 1 violation since 2016, latest lead result 3.9 ppb, PFAS not detected. Middlesex County is in EPA radon zone 1.
Health-based violations since 2016: Lead and Copper Rule. 1 is still listed as unresolved in EPA records.
90th-percentile lead in the latest round (Jan 2025). Lead comes mostly from household plumbing and service lines, so individual homes can be higher.
None of the tested PFAS were found above EPA’s reporting limits in 2023–2025.
Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.
FEMA’s overall natural-hazard risk for this census tract, relative to the rest of the U.S.
The nearest active Superfund site is 6.5 miles away.
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Where ZIP 02144 is
Dashed: ZIP area · blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Somerville Water Dept. (MWRA)
Health-based violations
| Contaminant or rule | Health-based violations since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | 1 |
A health-based violation means a contaminant exceeded its legal limit (MCL) or a required treatment technique was not met, as reported by the state to EPA’s SDWIS. 1 still listed as unresolved (“unaddressed” or “addressed” but not yet returned to compliance); the latest began Nov 2019.
Lead
90th-percentile lead per sampling round (90% of the homes sampled were at or below this level). Black line: EPA’s 15 ppb action level; under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements the action level becomes 10 ppb from 2027.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
| Compound | Highest result | Samples with detection | EPA limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | not detected | 0 of 4 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFHxA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFOS | not detected | 0 of 4 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFPeA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFHxS | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFHpA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFBA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFBS | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5), samples 2023–2025; ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). The 4.0 ppt maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS were set by EPA in 2024; water systems have until the end of the decade to comply.
Radon in Middlesex County
EPA radon zone 1 — highest potential. Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas from soil and rock, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above and considering it from 2 pCi/L. A short-term test kit costs about $15–30. How radon zones work →
Natural hazard risk
FEMA rates the overall natural-hazard risk of this neighborhood (census tract) as Very Low, with relatively high social vulnerability and very high community resilience.
FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025): expected annual losses from each hazard combined with social vulnerability and community resilience, rated relative to all U.S. census tracts. Hazards not listed are not applicable here. It describes the area, not a single building; flood insurance maps (FEMA FIRMs) decide flood-insurance requirements.
Live conditions: river gauges and flood levels · tornado warnings · wildfire detections · earthquakes — our sister maps, updated from NOAA, USGS and NASA every few minutes.
Superfund sites nearby
| Site | Status | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Materials Technology Laboratory (USARMY) Watertown, Massachusetts · EPA ID MA0213820939 | Cleaned up & deleted | 3.5 mi |
| Wells G&H Woburn, Massachusetts · EPA ID MAD980732168 | Active (final NPL) | 6.5 mi |
| Industri-Plex Woburn, Massachusetts · EPA ID MAD076580950 | Active (final NPL) | 8.1 mi |
| Olin Chemical Wilmington, Massachusetts · EPA ID MAD001403104 | Active (final NPL) | 9.0 mi |
| Hanscom Field/Hanscom Air Force Base Bedford, Massachusetts · EPA ID MA8570024424 | Active (final NPL) | 9.8 mi |
EPA Superfund National Priorities List (NPL): the country’s most serious known hazardous-waste sites, each with an EPA cleanup record (linked). Distance is measured from the ZIP center to the site’s reference point; being near a site does not by itself mean exposure — EPA site pages describe what was found and how it is being cleaned up.
What this is — and isn’t. These are records your water utility and state reported to the EPA, and the EPA’s radon map for your county. They describe the system and the area, not the water from your own tap or the air in your home. For that, read your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report and test: lead and radon tests are inexpensive.
Questions about 02144
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 02144?
Somerville Water Dept. (MWRA) (EPA ID MA3274000), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 81,045 people.
Is there lead in Somerville, MA tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2025) was 3.9 ppb; EPA’s action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb from 2027. Lead mostly comes from service lines and home plumbing, so the only way to know your tap is to test it.
Does Somerville, MA water have PFAS?
None of the tested PFAS were found above EPA’s reporting limits in 2023–2025.
Has the water system in 02144 had violations?
Health-based violations since 2016: Lead and Copper Rule. 1 is still listed as unresolved in EPA records.
What natural hazards affect ZIP 02144?
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk here as Very Low; the highest-rated hazards are coastal flooding (relatively low), cold wave (relatively low), earthquake (relatively low).
Are there Superfund sites near 02144?
The nearest active Superfund site is 6.5 miles away. Sites within 10 miles: Materials Technology Laboratory (USARMY) (3.5 mi, Cleaned up & deleted); Wells G&H (6.5 mi, Active (final NPL)); Industri-Plex (8.1 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Middlesex County?
Middlesex County is in EPA radon zone 1 (highest potential). Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.