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City of Medford
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
Public Water Supply
# 3176000
The 2022 Drinking Water Report provides information to residents of Medford on their water supply. Medford works in partnership with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) to communicate where your water comes from, how it is treated and tested, and how we get it to your tap. We hope that this report helps you understand your water system and the quality of your drinking water. Medford’s Department of Public Works maintains the water distribution system that consists of a network of pipes, valves, hydrants, and service lines. This system takes water from the MWRA system and delivers water to homes, businesses, and other facilities in Medford for drinking, commercial uses, and fire protection. The city is constantly improving the system, and replaces water mains when necessary. Our crews work every day monitoring the water system for leaks, verifying water pressure, replacing faulty meters, and flushing pipelines to keep the water safe.
Each year, we sample for lead and copper in 20 homes with lead service lines. In 2022, our results were below both the lead and copper Action Levels, as shown in the table below:
| Range | 90% Value | Action Level | MCLG | Samples Over Action Level | |
| Lead (ppb) | 0.12-32.70 ppb | 13.30 ppb | 15 ppb | 0 ppb | 2 |
| Copper (ppb) | 15.1-112 ppb | 76.5 ppb | 1300 ppb | 1300 ppb | 0 |
Our records show that we still have 528 full and partial lead service lines in Medford’s system. We are required to remove 17% of our remaining lead services each year, and document that to MassDEP. We have completed 11 years of our 15-year lead service removal program. We plan to replace 90 lead service lines during a program that started in November 2022 and will run through October 2023. Medford offers a program for homeowners to replace lead service lines that includes a rebate of $1,000. For more information, contact the Medford Water Division at (617) 784-7507 or go to our website at: https://www.medfordma.org/.
Medford routinely collects water samples within the distribution system at 17 sample sites four times per month. MassDEP requires that no more than 5% of the samples in a month test positive for total coliform bacteria. In August 2022, Medford found coliform bacteria in the distribution system, which required Medford to carry out a Level 2 Assessment. A Level 2 assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system on multiple occasions. We completed the Level 2 Assessment. We found coliforms indicating the need to look for potential problems in water treatment or distribution. When this occurs, we are required to conduct assessment(s) to identify any problems that were found. We found plumbing issues at the sampling site that may have contributed to the bacteria in the water samples. Water in the nearby main might have been stagnant at the time of sampling. The lack of a flushing program for the distribution system contributed to the coliform levels. We were required to carry out three corrective actions, all of which were completed. We carried out flushing of pipes in the affected area, and isolated a valve at Golden Avenue to direct the flow of water. We also conducted repeat sampling for bacteria after flushing at site 28. Subsequent sampling was negative for coliform bacteria. We also plan to carry out a town-wide unidirectional flushing program in spring 2023. We also had a sample test positive for E. coli in July 2022, although the required follow-up testing did not confirm its presence.
| MCLG | MCL | Detected | Violation | Source | |
| E. coli | 0 | No confirmed detections | 1 | No | Unknown |
Medford was also cited by MassDEP for monitoring violations related to the Lead and Copper Rule during 2018-2021. The violations included: failure to update our lead sampling plan; failure to update the materials evaluation of our water distribution system maps and databases; failure to collect the required number of samples from Tier 1 sampling locations; failure to collect all samples from the pool of sampling sites identified in the materials evaluation; and, not keeping copies of all required documents showing that we had mailed the sampling results to the residents who sampled. . We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. During 2018 – 2021 we did not complete all monitoring or testing for lead and therefore cannot be sure of the quality of our drinking water during that time. Medford is taking steps to address these issues including updating our service line inventory; improving sampling site evaluations; taking steps to improve record keeping; and providing letters to homeowners and schools with the mailing date on the letter. We will continue working to achieve full compliance with the regulations. More information is available on-line here, or call us at the number below for a copy.
The Medford Water Division hopes you find this report informative and useful. If you have any questions regarding this report or any other water related questions, you can call, Joseph Sousa, LCR Coordinator Water & Sewer Division at (617) 784-7507. If you are interested in attending a public meeting, please contact Chairperson Domenic Camarra at (781) 393-2474. For emergency water and sewer calls, please call (781) 393-2403, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER
Monitoring Requirements Not Met for the City of Medford
Our water system violated several drinking water requirements during 2018 to 2021. Even though these were not emergencies, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did to correct these situations.
We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. During 2018–2021 we did not complete all monitoring or testing for lead and therefore cannot be sure of the quality of our drinking water during that time.
What should I do?
There is nothing you need to do at this time.
What happened?
Our records related to the Lead and Copper Rule for the years 2018 to 2021 were reviewed by EPA and MassDEP in the spring of 2022. That review found that while we sampled each year as required, some of our records were insufficient or inadequate. Because our records of which homes still had lead service lines were not fully up to date, in some cases we monitored locations that did not meet the requirements of the Lead and Copper Rule. Therefore while we collected the right number of samples, they were not all the appropriate “Tier 1” category and cannot be credited towards the requirements.
The table below shows how many samples we were required to sample, how many we took, and how many were of the required Tier 1 category. Collecting fewer than the required number of samples from Tier 1 (lead service line or lead solder) sampling locations is a monitoring violation.
Once we were alerted to the violation, we updated our records, and collected the right number of samples from appropriate locations in September/October of 2022:
| Required Sampling Frequency | Total Number of Samples Collected | Number of Samples Taken at Required Locations | |
| Lead | Second Round - 2018 | 15 | 14 of 15 required |
| Lead | Every 6 Months - 2019 | 30 | 26 of 30 required |
| Lead | Every 6 Months - 2020 | 30 | 28 of 30 required |
| Lead | Every 6 Months - 2020 | 30 | 25 of 30 required |
Our violations also included these two related recordkeeping violations:
- Failure to collect all samples from the pool of targeted sampling sites identified in the materials evaluation.
- Samples were collected in accordance with a materials evaluation which had not been updated to reflect that lead service lines were removed. Thus, several locations remained on the sampling plan which were not lead service lines.
When we mailed sample results to the residents who took the samples, we failed to include a date on the letter, and thus could not document that the letters were mailed within the required time frame. This was a reporting violation.
Even though we did not sample at the required Tier 1 locations, Medford exceeded the lead action level during each of the years indicated, and the required educational materials were sent to all residents.
What Corrective Actions Have We Taken:
- Medford’s service line inventory is now being updated daily. Medford is in the process of completing a complete inventory of every service line
using the MassDEP Materials Inventory Spreadsheet that is due by October 2024. We will be beginning a water meter replacement program
which will supply us with an improved house side inventory which we will include in our Materials Inventory Spreadsheet. - Any new sampling sites will be determined by verifying existing water cards, the GIS Lead map, and/or a visual inspection and photo documentation of the lead service before being adding to our sampling site plan to ensure they meet the regulatory requirements.
- Medford has improved record keeping for the lead and copper program: all files will be digitally stored and cloud based.
- Letters to homeowners or school representatives with sample results will have a date of mailing or hand delivery included on the letter.
We also had a recording keeping violation. We are required to keep and have readily available 12 years of records indicating that we provided sample results to customers. We could not readily provide these to MassDEP when requested, which resulted in a record keeping violation. Going forward, we will maintain appropriate readily accessible files.
For more information, please contact Dan Stoneking at 781-393-2502 or email at dstoneking@medford-ma.gov.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
This notice is being sent to you via the on-line version of the Annual Water Quality Report
Medford Water Department PWS ID#: 3176000
Updated June 29, 2023