What was found in Oyster Bay's water
The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 16200 µg/L 162% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L | 9/10 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 16000 µg/L 160% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L | 9/10 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 2610 µg/L 65% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L | 6/10 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 1030 µg/L 79% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L | 9/10 | SYR4 |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | 580 µg/L 290% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 200 µg/L | 4/10 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 570 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L | 9/10 | SYR4 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 74.5 µg/L 106% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 70 µg/L | 5/10 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 72 µg/L 7.2% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 58 µg/L 193% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 30 µg/L | 8/10 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 32 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 28 µg/L 400% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 7 µg/L | 6/10 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 20 µg/L 400% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L | 8/10 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 20 µg/L 400% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L | 7/10 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 18.8 µg/L 125% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L | 8/10 | SYR4 |
| 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | 15.7 µg/L 314% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 11 µg/L 110% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10 µg/L | 5/10 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 10.9 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L | 5/10 | SYR4 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 9.1 µg/L 182% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L | 4/10 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 7.76 pCi/L 155% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 pCi/L | 7/10 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 7.6 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| Beryllium, Total | 6.5 µg/L 163% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 4 µg/L | 4/10 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | 6.1 µg/L 122% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L | 5/10 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 5.68 pCi/L 38% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L | 5/10 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 5.5 µg/L 92% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 5.3 µg/L No EPA limit set | 6/10 | SYR4 |
| trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 4.9 µg/L 4.9% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane | 4.5 µg/L 90% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 4/10 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 3.89 pCi/L No EPA limit set | 9/10 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 3.5 µg/L No EPA limit set | 4/10 | SYR4 |
| Simazine | 3 µg/L 75% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.9 µg/L No EPA limit set | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Vinyl Chloride | 2 µg/L 100% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 1.96 µg/L 39% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 1.77 µg/L 30% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 1.7 µg/L No EPA limit set | 4/10 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 1.3 µg/L 65% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L | 5/10 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 1.3 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 1 µg/L No EPA limit set | 5/10 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 0.9600 µg/L 1.6% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Benzene | 0.6000 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 0.6000 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.5960 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 0.3260 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 0.3100 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 0.2900 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Pfba | 0.0670 µg/L No EPA limit set | 4/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Pentachlorophenol | 0.0570 µg/L 5.7% of the EPA limit 1 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Pfpea | 0.0370 µg/L No EPA limit set | 4/10 | UCMR-5 |
| PFNA | 0.0296 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Heptachlor Epoxide | 0.0220 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Ethylene Dibromide | 0.0200 µg/L 40% of the EPA limit 0.0500 µg/L | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0180 µg/L No EPA limit set | 3/10 | UCMR-5 |
| 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE | 0.0100 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| 6:2 Fts | 0.0099 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0086 mg/L 57% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L | 10/10 | LCR |
| Pfhpa | 0.0046 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0045 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0035 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
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 Oyster Bay
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| JERICHO WD | 58,000 |
| HICKSVILLE WD | 48,000 |
| SOUTH FARMINGDALE WD | 44,700 |
| MASSAPEQUA WD | 43,000 |
| PLAINVIEW WD | 34,000 |
| BETHPAGE WD | 33,000 |
| OYSTER BAY WD | 8,700 |
| LOCUST VALLEY WD | 7,500 |
| GLENWOOD WD | 1,000 |
| LIBERTY UTILITIES NEW YORK - MILL NECK | 280 |
Frequently asked questions about Oyster Bay tap water
Is Oyster Bay tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 58 contaminants in the water serving Oyster Bay. 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 Oyster Bay?
10 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Oyster Bay, New York to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Oyster Bay's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Oyster Bay include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane. 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.