Lead In Drinking Water In New York
What residents of New York need to know about lead in drinking water — including how it enters water, which utilities have documented violations, and what steps to take.
Source: EPA SDWIS, New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), CDC · Last reviewed: 2025-01-01
Quick Answer
Is lead in drinking water a real concern in New York?
Yes — New York has one of the largest inventories of lead service lines and oldest housing stocks in the country.
Is this mostly a public-water issue, a private-well issue, or both?
Primarily public water system service lines and older household plumbing; New York City's aging distribution infrastructure is a recognized concern.
What is the main reason residents should care?
New York City has tens of thousands of lead service lines. New York State enacted the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act in 2021 and set a more protective action level of 10 µg/L — stricter than the federal 15 µg/L standard.
Key Facts
| NYS Lead Action Level | 10 µg/L (stricter than federal 15 µg/L) |
| Federal MCLG | Zero |
| State law | Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act (2021) |
| NYC corrosion control | Orthophosphate treatment — reduces but does not eliminate risk |
| State oversight | New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) |
Why This Matters in New York
New York City operates one of the largest drinking water systems in the world, but its aging distribution infrastructure includes a significant number of lead service lines. The city uses orthophosphate as a corrosion inhibitor, which reduces but does not eliminate lead risk. Upstate cities including Buffalo, Syracuse, and Utica also have older housing stock and aging water infrastructure. New York State lowered its lead action level to 10 µg/L as of January 2020, making it one of the most protective state standards in the country.
Historical Context
New York State adopted a 10 µg/L lead action level (stricter than the federal 15 µg/L) in 2020. The state's Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act requires utilities to replace lead service lines within 10 years.
New York Utilities With Lead Violation Records
The utilities listed below have at least one lead violation on record in EPA's SDWIS database. Violations may be open or resolved — see individual utility pages for current status and risk level.
New York City System
New York · 8,271,000 served
Mcwa
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 · 768,458 served
Buffalo Water Authority
Buffalo · 276,000 served
Liberty Utilities New York - Lynbrook
Hempstead,Lynbrook · 220,000 served
Yonkers City
Yonkers · 211,569 served
Rochester City
Rochester · 210,000 served
Liberty Utilities New York - Merrick
Hempstead · 135,000 served
Westchester Joint Water Works
New York · 59,629 served
Hempstead (v)
Hempstead · 56,000 served
Kiryas Joel
Kiryas Joel · 51,623 served
How Lead Gets Into Drinking Water
Lead service lines
The pipe connecting a home to the water main may be made of lead, especially in pre-1986 construction. Water sitting in these lines can accumulate lead before it reaches the tap.
Lead solder
Lead solder at pipe joints was banned for potable water systems in 1986. Homes built before that date — including significant portions of older New York cities — may still have lead solder throughout their plumbing.
Older brass fixtures
Faucets, valves, and fixtures with high lead content were common before the 2014 revision of 'lead-free' standards. Replacing older fixtures at kitchen and drinking taps can meaningfully reduce exposure.
Corrosive water chemistry
Soft, acidic, or low-alkalinity water dissolves lead from plumbing more readily. Utilities use orthophosphate and other corrosion control treatments, but household plumbing after the meter is not within their control.
Who Should Pay Closest Attention
Children in low-income urban housing are disproportionately affected — particularly in older multifamily buildings where plumbing has never been updated. Renters typically cannot inspect or replace the service line on their property.
Families with children under six
Pregnant residents
Households in homes built before 1986
Renters who cannot inspect building plumbing
Residents on a confirmed lead service line
Households that had plumbing work done recently (disturbances dislodge protective scale)
How to Check Your Situation in New York
- 1
Identify your water utility. Use the ZIP lookup below or browse the New York utility directory on this site.
- 2
Read your utility's page on this site to see its current risk level and any open lead violations.
- 3
Contact your utility and ask for your address-level service line material status. Under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), utilities must maintain and provide this information.
- 4
Review your utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — mailed annually or available on the utility's website.
- 5
Consider testing your tap water at a New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH)-certified lab. Your state health department or New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) maintains a list of certified labs.
- 6
If you have young children or are pregnant, install a certified NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 filter at the kitchen tap as a precautionary measure.
Treatment Options
Boiling does not remove lead. Use a certified filter for drinking and cooking water.
NSF/ANSI Standard 53 — Activated Carbon Block
Under-sink or pitcher filters certified to Standard 53 are independently verified to reduce lead. Replace filters on the manufacturer's schedule — an overdue filter may not perform as certified.
NSF/ANSI Standard 58 — Reverse Osmosis
RO systems certified to Standard 58 remove 95–99% of lead and a broad range of contaminants. Requires under-sink installation. More comprehensive than Standard 53 for households with multiple contaminant concerns.
Flushing — temporary mitigation only
EPA recommends flushing the cold tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes if water has sat in pipes for 6+ hours. Not a substitute for certified filtration or service line replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
Lead — National Overview
All U.S. utilities with lead records
New York State Overview
All utilities and water quality data
Nitrate in Drinking Water
A separate but common concern
Reverse Osmosis Guide
Removes 95–99% of lead
Activated Carbon Filter Guide
NSF/ANSI 53 certified options
All Contaminants
Complete reference library
Data Sources & Provenance
All data on this page is sourced from official U.S. government or public datasets.
Find Your Utility
State Regulator
New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) ↗