Massachusetts Department of Public Health seal Massachusetts Environmental Public Health Tracking

Environmental Data

In 2000, the Pew Environmental Health Commission determined that there is a lack of basic information needed to link environmental hazards and chronic diseases. In response, the CDC funded state health departments to begin to integrate health and environmental datasets by building the Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) Network. This information may be used for quantifying the magnitude of a problem, detecting unusual trends and occurrences, identifying populations at risk, and facilitating environmental public health research.

Currently, this website provides the following information:

Available Data Types on the MA EPHT portal
Environmental Outcome Type of Statistic Available Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available
Environmental Outcome Climate Change Type of Statistic Available Climate change information and potential public health impacts in Massachusetts
Environmental Outcome Drinking Water
Environmental Outcome Arsenic Type of Statistic Available Maximum and mean concentrations and number of drinking water violations in public water supplies Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By CWS, community, county, and statewide
Environmental Outcome Atrazine Type of Statistic Available Maximum and mean concentrations and number of drinking water violations in public water supplies Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By CWS, community, county, and statewide
Environmental Outcome DEHP Type of Statistic Available Maximum and mean concentrations and number of drinking water violations in public water supplies Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By CWS, community, county, and statewide
Environmental Outcome Disinfection Byproducts Type of Statistic Available Maximum and mean concentrations and number of drinking water violations in public water supplies Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By CWS, community, county, and statewide
Environmental Outcome Lead Type of Statistic Available Number of drinking water action level exceedances for lead (1999-2009) in community public water systems Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By CWS, community, county, and statewide
Environmental Outcome Nitrates Type of Statistic Available Maximum and mean concentrations and number of drinking water violations in public water supplies Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By CWS, community, county, and statewide
Environmental Outcome PCE Type of Statistic Available Number of drinking water violations in public water supplies Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By CWS, community, county, and statewide
Environmental Outcome TCE Type of Statistic Available Maximum and mean concentrations and number of drinking water violations in public water supplies Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By CWS, community, county, and statewide
Environmental Outcome Uranium Type of Statistic Available Maximum and mean concentrations and number of drinking water violations in public water supplies Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By CWS, community, county, and statewide
Indoor Air Quality Indoor Air Quality Type of Statistic AvailableInformation on indoor air quality exposures that may occur in homes, schools, and public buildings. Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Indoor Air Quality Program conducts assessments in public schools and buildings.
Environmental Outcome Outdoor Air Quality
Environmental Outcome Ozone Type of Statistic Available
  • Number of days with maximum 8-hour average ozone concentrations over the NAAQS
  • Number of person-days with maximum 8-hour average ozone concentration over the NAAQS
 Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By county and statewide
Environmental Outcome Fine Particles (PM2.5) Type of Statistic Available
  • Annual average PM2.5 concentration
  • Percent of population in counties where PM2.5 annual average exceeds NAAQS
  • Percent of monitored days that daily PM2.5 concentration exceeds NAAQS
  • Number of person-days that daily PM2.5 concentration exceeds NAAQS
 Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By county and statewide
Environmental Outcome Radon Type of Statistic Available Radon information; maps and indoor radon concentration measurements for Massachusetts from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By county and statewide
Environmental Outcome Recreational Water Type of Statistic AvailableWater test results for marine beaches Geographic Area For Which the Data are Available By beach and community

It is important to recognize that environmental measures do not provide information on the extent of exposure or the magnitude of the risk associated with exposure to environmental contaminants. The amount of exposure depends on:

  • the concentration of the contaminant in the environment
  • how much of the contaminant is taken in by the body
  • how long a person is exposed to the contamination

Other limitations associated with the use of air quality and water quality measures, particularly at the community level, are discussed on each environmental outcome page.

This page was last edited on: