Tap WaterIndex

← New York

Tap water quality report

Buffalo, NY

EPA monitoring detected 27 contaminants across the 2 water suppliers serving Buffalo. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the highest level found for each below, with its EPA source and period.

2
water suppliers
589,380
people served
27
contaminants found
New York rankings Lead in New York PFAS in New York

What was found in Buffalo's water

The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.

ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitSuppliersSource
Fluoride
940 µg/L 24%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Nitrate
540 µg/L 5.4%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite
340 µg/L 3.4%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
TTHM
85.1 µg/L 106%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
68.8 µg/L 115%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Chloroform
52.7 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid
40.2 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Barium
27 µg/L 1.4%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid
26 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Bromodichloromethane
21.9 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Copper
15 µg/L 1.2%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid
14.5 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Dibromochloromethane
9.7 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid
9.3 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid
7 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Chromium
5.2 µg/L 5.2%
of the EPA limit 100 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Bromoform
1.8 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)
1.25 pCi/L 25%
of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L
 1/2 SYR4
1,2-Dichloroethane
1.2 µg/L 24%
of the EPA limit 5 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Arsenic
1.1 µg/L 11%
of the EPA limit 10 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Selenium
1.1 µg/L 2.2%
of the EPA limit 50 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Antimony, Total
0.7000 µg/L 12%
of the EPA limit 6 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Atrazine
0.0700 µg/L 2.3%
of the EPA limit 3 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Mercury
0.0660 µg/L 3.3%
of the EPA limit 2 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Thallium, Total
0.0300 µg/L 1.5%
of the EPA limit 2 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Cadmium
0.0200 µg/L 0.4%
of the EPA limit 5 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Lead
0.0060 mg/L 40%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 2/2 LCR
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a running annual average while the figure is the single worst sample on record — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Formal violations are listed separately. These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide average. A detection means the lab measured the substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.

Water suppliers serving Buffalo

SupplierPopulation served
ECWA DIRECT 313,380
BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY 276,000

Frequently asked questions about Buffalo tap water

Is Buffalo tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 27 contaminants in the water serving Buffalo. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.

How many water suppliers serve Buffalo?

2 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Buffalo, New York to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Buffalo's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Buffalo include Fluoride, Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, TTHM, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5). The full list, with the highest level found and the data source, is in the table above.

Where does this data come from?

Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.