MCWA vs NEW YORK CITY SYSTEM
Water quality comparison — risk levels, violations, PFAS records, and contaminants
Quick Answer
NEW YORK CITY SYSTEM has a lower risk classification (safe). MCWA has 1 open health-based violation and 522 PFAS records. NEW YORK CITY SYSTEM has 1 open health-based violation and 464 PFAS records.
New York · NY2701047
Low Concern
Minor detections below regulatory limits. Routine monitoring adequate.
1
Open violations
522
PFAS records
New York · NY7003493
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
1
Open violations
464
PFAS records
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | MCWA | NEW YORK CITY SYSTEM |
|---|---|---|
| State | New York | New York |
| Risk Level | Low Concern | No Concerns Detected |
| Population Served | 768,458 | 8,271,000 |
| Open Health Violations | 1 | 1 |
| Total Violations | 1 | 10 |
| PFAS Records | 522 | 464 |
| Ownership | Public/Private | Local |
| Service Type | Surface water | Surface water |
| City Served | Batavia,Brighton,Chili,Churchville,Clarkson,East Rochester,Fairport,Gates,Greece,Hamlin,Henrietta,Honeoye Falls,Irondequoit,Kendall,Mendon,Oakfield,Oakfield,Ogden,Parma,Penfield,Perinton,Pittsford,Pittsford,Riga,Rochester,Rush,Scottsville,Spencerport,Sweden,Victor,Victor,Webster,Wheatland | New York |
Contaminants in Violation Records
MCWA
- Lead
NEW YORK CITY SYSTEM
- Lead
Key Differences
MCWA has a low risk rating vs. safe for NEW YORK CITY SYSTEM.
MCWA has 522 PFAS records vs. 464 for NEW YORK CITY SYSTEM.
What Should I Do?
If either utility shows open violations or elevated PFAS records, consider:
- Installing a reverse osmosis filter — removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, nitrates, and most heavy metals.
- Requesting your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for the most current test results.
- Ordering a certified lab water test if you want contaminant-specific data for your address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is safer — MCWA or NEW YORK CITY SYSTEM?
NEW YORK CITY SYSTEM has a lower risk classification (safe). NEW YORK CITY SYSTEM has 1 open health-based violation compared to 1 for the other system.
What does "open health-based violation" mean?
An open health-based violation means a water system has exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or failed to meet a treatment technique — and the violation has not yet been resolved. These are the most serious type of water quality violations.
How current is this data?
Violation data comes from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), which is updated as utilities report. PFAS data comes from EPA's UCMR 5 monitoring (2023–2025). Risk levels are recalculated daily.
What does PWSID mean?
PWSID stands for Public Water System ID — a unique federal identifier assigned to each community water system. You can use it to look up a system in EPA's ECHO database.