Is Watertown, NY Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Watertown'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	2300 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	3/8	SYR4
Fluoride	780 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	3/8	SYR4
Barium	270.87 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	3/8	SYR4
TTHM	158 µg/L 198% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L	8/8	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	147.2 µg/L 245% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L	8/8	SYR4
Chloroform	147 µg/L No EPA limit set	8/8	SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite	100 µg/L 1% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	1/8	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	94.1 µg/L No EPA limit set	6/8	SYR4
Bromoform	83.3 µg/L No EPA limit set	4/8	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	53.1 µg/L No EPA limit set	7/8	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	27 µg/L No EPA limit set	7/8	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	26.2 µg/L No EPA limit set	7/8	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	19 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/8	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	16.1 µg/L No EPA limit set	8/8	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	13.9 µg/L No EPA limit set	8/8	SYR4
Copper	12 µg/L 0.9% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	1/8	SYR4
Antimony, Total	3.3 µg/L 55% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L	1/8	SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity	3.1 pCi/L No EPA limit set	1/8	SYR4
Chromium	1.4 µg/L 1.4% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	2/8	SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)	1.2 pCi/L 24% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L	2/8	SYR4
P-Dichlorobenzene	0.7600 µg/L 1% of the EPA limit 75 µg/L	1/8	SYR4
Selenium	0.4900 µg/L 1% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L	1/8	SYR4
PFOA	0.0073 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/8	UCMR-5
Lead	0.0063 mg/L 42% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	7/8	LCR
PFHXS	0.0039 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/8	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 Watertown

Supplier	Population served
WATERTOWN CITY	27,861
WATERTOWN TOWN WD 3 & 4 & 5	750
WATERTOWN TOWN WD 1 & 2	600
NORTHLAND ESTATES	540
LERAY TOWN WD 3	480
SOUTHSIDE WATER INC.	195
COLD CREEK STUDIOS	90
DANC (WATERTOWN / FT. DRUM)	0

Frequently asked questions about Watertown tap water

Is Watertown tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 25 contaminants in the water serving Watertown. 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 Watertown?

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

What contaminants are in Watertown's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Watertown include Nitrate, Fluoride, Barium, 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.