North America
United States of America
Tap water is safe to drink.
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Boston tap water is generally suitable to drink when it comes from the regulated public supply. Check local notices and building plumbing if you are in older housing, temporary accommodation, or after service disruptions.
Brush Teeth
Yes, when served by the regulated public supply
Ice Cubes
Yes, when made from the regulated public supply
Wash Fruit
Yes, using clean tap water
Shower
Yes
Restaurants
Tap water is generally fine; check posted advisories
Locals Drink
Yes, from regulated public supplies
Water Quality
Good
EPA says community water systems provide annual Consumer Confidence Reports about drinking-water quality, and U.S. public systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act with local advisories and CCRs used for current system-specific conditions. No current Boston customer-tap compliance source was found in this batch, so the page remains a conservative source-gap assessment.
Last reviewed:
Evidence basis: Limited public evidence
Freshness due:
The guidance is intentionally cautious because current city-level customer-tap evidence is incomplete.
EPA says community water systems provide annual Consumer Confidence Reports about drinking-water quality, and U.S. public systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act with local advisories and CCRs used for current system-specific conditions. No current Boston customer-tap compliance source was found in this batch, so the page remains a conservative source-gap assessment.
Open caveat: No current public Boston customer-tap compliance dataset was found in this batch.; Countrywide travel-health guidance supports conservative visitor behavior but does not prove conditions in every neighborhood, hotel, building tank, or private supply.
Pickpocket Risk
Moderate
Night Safety
Mostly safe
Scam Risk
Low
English Level
Native
May to October
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United States of America
New York City tap water is generally safe to drink from the municipal supply. Let water run briefly after long stagnation in older buildings and follow any building-specific or official advisories.
United States of America
Los Angeles tap water is generally suitable to drink when it comes from the regulated public supply. Check local notices and building plumbing if you are in older housing, temporary accommodation, or after service disruptions.
United States of America
Chicago tap water is generally suitable to drink when it comes from the regulated public supply. Check local notices and building plumbing if you are in older housing, temporary accommodation, or after service disruptions.
United States of America
San Francisco tap water is generally suitable to drink when it comes from the regulated public supply. Check local notices and building plumbing if you are in older housing, temporary accommodation, or after service disruptions.
MWRA adjusts pH and buffering capacity to reduce corrosion. Boston's water can still be soft; check the dated local lead results separately.
Boston's local 2025 lead samples exceeded the action level stated for that round. The selected homes and sampling conditions are essential to interpreting it.