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Tap water quality report

New York, NY

EPA monitoring detected 24 contaminants across the 4 water suppliers serving New York. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the highest level found for each below, with its EPA source and period.

4
water suppliers
8,272,205
people served
24
contaminants found
New York rankings Lead in New York PFAS in New York

What was found in New York'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
1940 µg/L 49%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 2/4 SYR4
Nitrate
1180 µg/L 12%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 2/4 SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite
545 µg/L 5.5%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 2/4 SYR4
Copper
125 µg/L 9.6%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
 2/4 SYR4
TTHM
80 µg/L 100%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
 2/4 SYR4
Chloroform
74 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/4 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
67 µg/L 112%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L
 2/4 SYR4
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U
61.31 pCi/L 409%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 pCi/L
 1/4 SYR4
Barium
60 µg/L 3%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
 1/4 SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)
59.98 pCi/L 1200%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 pCi/L
 1/4 SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity
46.8 pCi/L
No EPA limit set
 1/4 SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid
43 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/4 SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid
32 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/4 SYR4
Bromodichloromethane
16 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/4 SYR4
Dibromochloromethane
15 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/4 SYR4
Bromoform
8.6 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/4 SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid
4.3 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/4 SYR4
Combined Uranium
4.21 µg/L 14%
of the EPA limit 30 µg/L
 1/4 SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid
3.1 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/4 SYR4
Dichloromethane
3 µg/L 60%
of the EPA limit 5 µg/L
 1/4 SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid
2.37 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/4 SYR4
Toluene
1.3 µg/L 0.1%
of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L
 1/4 SYR4
Lead
1 µg/L 6.7%
of the EPA limit 15 µg/L
 1/4 SYR4
Lead
0.0150 mg/L 100%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 3/4 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 New York

SupplierPopulation served
NEW YORK CITY SYSTEM 8,271,000
SUBURBANS COMMUNITY MHP 655
CEDAR VALLEY WATERWORKS 300
APPLEWOOD MHC 250

Frequently asked questions about New York tap water

Is New York tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 24 contaminants in the water serving New York. 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 New York?

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

What contaminants are in New York's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in New York include Fluoride, Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, TTHM. 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.