Skip to main content
WaterVerge
PFAS Contamination

PFAS in New York Drinking Water

Ranked by number of PFAS compounds detected · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

361
Cities Tested
52
Exceeds Limit
14%
% Exceeds Limit
1.1 compounds
State Avg
▼ 7% vs national
vs National
594
Health Violations

PFAS in New York: what the data shows

New York has 361 cities with PFAS monitoring data from the EPA's UCMR 5 program. PFAS ("forever chemicals") were detected in 147 of those cities (41%), with a significant share of cities exceeding the EPA's 2024 maximum contaminant levels of 4 ppt. The state average is better than the national average. 52 cities exceed the EPA MCL for at least one PFAS compound. PFAS are linked to cancer, immune system disruption, and developmental issues. The 2024 EPA rule requires water systems exceeding the MCL to notify customers and reduce levels by 2029. PFAS data comes from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR 5), which required large water systems to test for 29 PFAS compounds between 2023–2025. Not all systems have completed testing — cities without data may still have PFAS present.

Cities exceeding EPA MCL (4 ppt each)

New York
14%
52 of 361 cities
▼ 7% below national rate (better)
National avg
21%
1636 of 7745 cities

PFAS data across New York

Each dot is a city, colored by overall water quality grade. PFAS-tested cities are shown; those exceeding the 4 ppt EPA MCL appear in red. Size reflects population served.

New York city water quality map

All New York cities ranked by pfas level

# City Level Level Exceeds? Violations Grade
1 Clarkstown (T) 11 compounds
Yes 11
B-
2 Brookhaven (T) 10 compounds
Yes 3
C
3 East Hampton (T) 10 compounds
Yes 3
A-
4 Islip (T) 10 compounds
Yes 7
B-
5 Smithtown (T) 10 compounds
Yes 5
B+
6 Southampton (T) 10 compounds
Yes 5
B
7 Southold (T) 10 compounds
Yes 11
B-
8 Hempstead (T) 10 compounds
Yes 14
D
9 North Hempstead (T) 10 compounds
Yes 9
F
10 Riverhead (T) 10 compounds
Yes 5
C+
11 Huntington (T) 10 compounds
Yes 11
D
12 New Castle (T) 10 compounds
Yes 3
B
13 Babylon (T) 10 compounds
Yes 6
B+
14 Leray (T) 8 compounds
No 4
B+
15 Oyster Bay (T) 8 compounds
No 14
B-
16 Nyack (V) 7 compounds
Yes 3
B
17 South Nyack (V) 7 compounds
Yes 3
B
18 Binghamton (C) 6 compounds
Yes 5
A-
19 Monroe (V) 6 compounds
Yes 2
A-
20 Fishkill (T) 6 compounds
Yes 2
B
21 Chenango (T) 5 compounds
Yes 17
F
22 Williston Park (V) 5 compounds
Yes 2
A-
23 Harriman (V) 5 compounds
Yes 22
B+
24 Barton (T) 5 compounds
Yes 4
B
25 Lynbrook (V) 4 compounds
Yes 3
B
26 Yorktown (T) 4 compounds
Yes 13
B
27 Newburgh (T) 4 compounds
Yes 50
F
28 Vestal (T) 4 compounds
No 2
A-
29 Mineola (V) 4 compounds
Yes 1
A-
30 Johnson City (V) 4 compounds
No 2
A-
31 Glens Falls (C) 4 compounds
Yes 17
B+
32 Ramapo (T) 4 compounds
Yes 19
C+
33 Sidney (V) 4 compounds
Yes 0
C
34 Chester (V) 4 compounds
Yes 4
B-
35 Voorheesville (V) 4 compounds
Yes 1
C-
36 Monroe (T) 4 compounds
Yes 10
F
37 Port Chester (V) 3 compounds
Yes 0
A
38 Rye Brook (V) 3 compounds
Yes 0
A
39 Rye (T) 3 compounds
Yes 0
A
40 Kiryas Joel (V) 3 compounds
No 3
D+
41 New Windsor (T) 3 compounds
No 14
D+
42 Westbury (V) 3 compounds
Yes 2
A-
43 New Hyde Park (V) 3 compounds
Yes 1
A
44 Wappinger (T) 3 compounds
No 9
D
45 Catskill (T) 3 compounds
Yes 102
F
46 Lagrange (T) 3 compounds
Yes 0
F
47 Clifton Park (T) 2 compounds
No 4
D
48 Glen Cove (C) 2 compounds
Yes 4
B+
49 Watertown (C) 2 compounds
Yes 19
B
50 Saratoga Sprngs (C) 2 compounds
No 3
A-
51 Kingston (C) 2 compounds
Yes 8
A-
52 Garden City (V) 2 compounds
Yes 5
A-
53 Roslyn (V) 2 compounds
Yes 1
A
54 Batavia (C) 2 compounds
No 0
A+
55 Scotia (V) 2 compounds
No 3
B
56 Corning (C) 2 compounds
Yes 2
B-
57 Mount Kisco (V) 2 compounds
No 5
A-
58 Woodbury (T) 2 compounds
No 18
C+
59 Waterford (V) 2 compounds
No 2
A
60 Baldwinsville (V) 2 compounds
No 1
A
61 Fallsburg (T) 2 compounds
No 2
F
62 Mill Neck (V) 2 compounds
No 2
A
63 Hilton (V) 2 compounds
No 0
A
64 Somers (T) 2 compounds
Yes 4
F
65 Montgomery (V) 2 compounds
No 0
A+
66 Cortlandville (T) 2 compounds
No 2
A+
67 Rochester (C) 1 compounds
No 3
B
68 Syracuse (C) 1 compounds
No 29
C+
69 Brighton (T) 1 compounds
No 5
C+
70 Chili (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
71 Churchville (V) 1 compounds
No 1
B
72 Clarkson (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
73 East Rochester (X) 1 compounds
No 1
B
74 Fairport (V) 1 compounds
No 1
B
75 Gates (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
76 Greece (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
77 Hamlin (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
78 Henrietta (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
79 Honeoye Falls (V) 1 compounds
No 1
B
80 Irondequoit (T) 1 compounds
No 1
C+
81 Kendall (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
82 Mendon (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
83 Ogden (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
84 Parma (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
85 Penfield (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
86 Perinton (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
87 Pittsford (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
88 Pittsford (V) 1 compounds
No 1
B
89 Riga (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
90 Rush (T) 1 compounds
No 2
B
91 Scottsville (V) 1 compounds
No 1
B
92 Spencerport (V) 1 compounds
No 1
B
93 Sweden (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
94 Victor (T) 1 compounds
No 3
B
95 Webster (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
96 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
97 Ithaca (C) 1 compounds
No 11
B+
98 Hempstead (V) 1 compounds
Yes 1
A-
99 Endicott (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A-
100 Long Beach (C) 1 compounds
No 3
A
101 Bethlehem (T) 1 compounds
No 12
A-
102 Ossining (T) 1 compounds
Yes 6
C
103 Plattsburgh (C) 1 compounds
No 1
A-
104 Lewiston (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A-
105 Gloversville (C) 1 compounds
No 2
A-
106 Glenville (T) 1 compounds
Yes 0
A
107 Geneva (C) 1 compounds
No 2
A
108 Cornwall-On-Hudson (V) 1 compounds
No 3
B+
109 Newfane (T) 1 compounds
No 0
A+
110 Big Flats (T) 1 compounds
No 4
A-
111 Ilion (V) 1 compounds
No 3
C+
112 Colonie (V) 1 compounds
Yes 1
A-
113 Catskill (V) 1 compounds
No 98
D
114 Monticello (V) 1 compounds
Yes 2
C+
115 Norwich (C) 1 compounds
No 24
A
116 Huron (T) 1 compounds
No 1
A-
117 Alfred (V) 1 compounds
No 2
C
118 Washingtonville (V) 1 compounds
No 0
B+
119 Crawford (T) 1 compounds
No 3
C-
120 Waterloo (V) 1 compounds
No 1
A-
121 Walden (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A
122 East Aurora (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A-
123 Wellsville (V) 1 compounds
No 0
C+
124 Salamanca (C) 1 compounds
No 0
C-
125 Goshen (V) 1 compounds
No 10
B+
126 Wappinger Falls (V) 1 compounds
No 0
B+
127 Ulster (T) 1 compounds
No 3
F
128 Batavia (T) 1 compounds
No 2
B+
129 Bath (V) 1 compounds
No 1
C+
130 Penn Yan (V) 1 compounds
No 8
B-
131 Hoosick Falls (V) 1 compounds
No 1
A-
132 Erwin (T) 1 compounds
Yes 2
D+
133 Ravena (V) 1 compounds
No 3
A
134 Springville (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A-
135 Greenport (T) 1 compounds
No 1
C-
136 Liberty (V) 1 compounds
No 1
B+
137 Ticonderoga (T) 1 compounds
No 4
A-
138 Fort Edward(V) 1 compounds
No 4
B
139 Cazenovia (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A-
140 Clarendon (T) 1 compounds
No 0
A
141 Victor (V) 1 compounds
No 3
B
142 Oakfield (T) 1 compounds
No 4
B+
143 Oakfield (V) 1 compounds
No 4
B+
144 Friendship (T) 1 compounds
No 38
C+
145 Woodridge (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A-
146 South Bristol (T) 1 compounds
No 0
C-
147 Esperance (T) 1 compounds
No 94
B-
148 New York (C) 0 compounds
No 11
A-
149 Buffalo (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
150 Amherst (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
151 Cheektowaga (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
152 Clarence (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
153 Concord (T) 0 compounds
No 8
B-
154 Depew (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A
155 Evans (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
156 Lackawanna (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A
157 Lancaster (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A
158 Sloan (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A
159 Yonkers (C) 0 compounds
No 2
B+
160 Ardsley (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
161 Bronxville (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
162 Dobbs Ferry (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
163 Eastchester (T) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
164 Hastings-On-Hudson (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
165 New Rochelle (C) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
166 Pelham Manor (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
167 Pelham (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
168 Tuckahoe (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
169 Deerfield (T) 0 compounds
No 25
B-
170 Marcy (T) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
171 New Hartford (T) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
172 New Hartford (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
173 New York Mills (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
174 Oriskany (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
175 Utica (C) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
176 Whitesboro (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
177 Whitestown (T) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
178 Yorkville (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
179 Albany (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
180 Colonie (T) 0 compounds
No 1
A+
181 Mount Vernon (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
182 Tonawanda (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A
183 Schenectady (C) 0 compounds
No 1
B+
184 Mamaroneck 0 compounds
No 5
B+
185 White Plains (C) 0 compounds
No 1
A-
186 Niagara Falls (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
187 Elmira (C) 0 compounds
No 5
B+
188 Elmira Heights (V) 0 compounds
No 5
B+
189 Elmira (T) 0 compounds
No 5
B+
190 Southport (T) 0 compounds
No 5
B+
191 Jamestown (C) 0 compounds
No 1
A
192 Freeport (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
193 Poughkeepsie (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
194 Massapequa Park (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A
195 Greenburgh (T) 0 compounds
No 40
B
196 Rome (C) 0 compounds
No 20
B+
197 North Tonawanda (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
198 Great Neck Estates (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
199 Great Neck Plaza (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
200 Great Neck (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
201 Kensington (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
202 Kings Point (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
203 Saddle Rock (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
204 Thomaston (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
205 Poughkeepsie (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A
206 Rotterdam (T) 0 compounds
No 2
A
207 Guilderland (T) 0 compounds
No 18
A-
208 Middletown (C) 0 compounds
No 3
A
209 Oswego (C) 0 compounds
No 4
A
210 Newburgh (C) 0 compounds
No 17
A-
211 Cortlandt (T) 0 compounds
No 11
B+
212 Auburn (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
213 Brockport (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
214 Rockville Center (V) 0 compounds
No 5
A
215 Peekskill (C) 0 compounds
No 15
A-
216 Macedon (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A+
217 Queensbury (T) 0 compounds
No 2
F
218 Scarsdale 0 compounds
No 0
A
219 Lockport (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A
220 Lockport (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
221 Amsterdam (C) 0 compounds
No 33
B-
222 Cortland (C) 0 compounds
No 5
A
223 Stewart Manor (V) 0 compounds
No 5
A-
224 Grand Island (T) 0 compounds
No 2
C+
225 Wheatfield (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
226 Mount Pleasant (T) 0 compounds
No 36
C
227 Cohoes (C) 0 compounds
No 5
B+
228 Massena (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
229 Fulton (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A
230 De Witt (T) 0 compounds
No 6
A-
231 Oneonta (T) 0 compounds
No 1
C
232 Clay (T) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
233 Oneonta (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
234 Kenmore (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A
235 Halfmoon (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A
236 Horseheads (V) 0 compounds
No 6
D+
237 Olean (C) 0 compounds
No 1
B
238 Beacon (C) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
239 Sea Cliff (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
240 Malone (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
241 Farmington (T) 0 compounds
No 7
A
242 Dunkirk (C) 0 compounds
No 1
C
243 Oneida (C) 0 compounds
No 3
A
244 Oneida Castle (V) 0 compounds
No 3
A
245 Canandaigua (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
246 Plattsburgh (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A-
247 Tarrytown (V) 0 compounds
No 3
B+
248 Canandaigua (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
249 Elma (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
250 North Greenbush (T) 0 compounds
No 5
A-
251 Ontario (T) 0 compounds
No 4
A+
252 Ogdensburg (C) 0 compounds
No 1
A-
253 Ballston (T) 0 compounds
No 6
B+
254 Livonia (V) 0 compounds
No 14
A
255 Watervliet (C) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
256 Hornell (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A
257 Hornelslville (T) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
258 North Hornell (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A
259 Wilton (T) 0 compounds
No 7
D
260 Fredonia (V) 0 compounds
No 0
D
261 Seneca Falls (V) 0 compounds
No 2
B+
262 Rensselaer (C) 0 compounds
No 6
B+
263 Briarcliff Manor (V) 0 compounds
No 9
A-
264 Newark (V) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
265 Saugerties (T) 0 compounds
No 6
F
266 Malta (T) 0 compounds
No 3
D
267 Scriba (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
268 Chautauqua (T) 0 compounds
No 41
F
269 Port Jervis (C) 0 compounds
No 12
A-
270 Youngstown (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
271 Dansville (V) 0 compounds
No 4
A
272 Farmingdale (V) 0 compounds
No 1
A
273 Herkimer (V) 0 compounds
No 44
F
274 New Paltz (T) 0 compounds
No 4
C+
275 Potsdam (V) 0 compounds
No 14
B+
276 Johnstown (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A
277 Niagara (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
278 Croton-On-Hudson (V) 0 compounds
No 1
A
279 Geneseo (V) 0 compounds
No 7
A-
280 Highlands (T) 0 compounds
No 22
B
281 Royalton (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
282 Canton (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
283 Brunswick (T) 0 compounds
No 8
D+
284 Hudson Falls (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A
285 Porter (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
286 Warwick (V) 0 compounds
No 5
A
287 Hudson (C) 0 compounds
No 5
A
288 Bayville (V) 0 compounds
No 3
A
289 Irvington (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A
290 Moreau (T) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
291 Williamson (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A
292 Ballston Spa (V) 0 compounds
No 2
B
293 Medina (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
294 Larchmont (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
295 Coxsackie (T) 0 compounds
No 22
B
296 Marion (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
297 Dannemora (V) 0 compounds
No 6
A-
298 Skaneateles (T) 0 compounds
No 36
B-
299 Pendleton (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
300 Albion (V) 0 compounds
No 3
A
301 Rhinebeck (V) 0 compounds
No 1
A-
302 Wilson (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
303 Cambria (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
304 Lyons (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
305 Salamanca 0 compounds
No 4
F
306 Akwesasne 0 compounds
No 3
B
307 Tupper Lake (V) 0 compounds
No 67
C+
308 Saranac Lake (V) 0 compounds
No 4
A
309 Elmsford (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
310 Mechanicville (C) 0 compounds
No 8
B+
311 Owego (V) 0 compounds
No 5
B-
312 Lake Placid (V) 0 compounds
No 1
A+
313 Old Westbury (V) 0 compounds
No 1
A-
314 Cobleskill (V) 0 compounds
No 7
B
315 Little Falls (C) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
316 Kingsbury (T) 0 compounds
No 9
C+
317 Menands (V) 0 compounds
No 7
A-
318 Homer (V) 0 compounds
No 2
B+
319 Ellenville (V) 0 compounds
No 15
C+
320 Gouverneur (V) 0 compounds
No 11
A
321 Angola (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B+
322 Hartland (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
323 Hamilton (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A
324 Fishkill (V) 0 compounds
No 0
B+
325 Highland Falls (V) 0 compounds
No 3
A-
326 Coxsackie (V) 0 compounds
No 19
A-
327 New Baltimore (T) 0 compounds
No 19
A-
328 Lloyd (T) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
329 Lowville (V) 0 compounds
No 39
B
330 Warsaw (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A-
331 Richland (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
332 South Glens Falls (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
333 Delhi (V) 0 compounds
No 2
D
334 Westfield (V) 0 compounds
No 0
B+
335 Warsaw (V) 0 compounds
No 3
A-
336 Perry (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A
337 Hopewell (T) 0 compounds
No 2
A
338 Perry (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A
339 Carthage (V) 0 compounds
No 18
B-
340 Warrensburg (T) 0 compounds
No 20
D
341 Palmyra (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
342 Mount Morris (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A
343 Gorham (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
344 Geneva (T) 0 compounds
No 0
B+
345 Phelps (T) 0 compounds
No 11
B-
346 Corinth (V) 0 compounds
No 3
B+
347 Fort Plain (V) 0 compounds
No 7
A-
348 Windham (T) 0 compounds
No 73
D
349 Moravia (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
350 Shawangunk (T) 0 compounds
No 7
B-
351 Willsboro (T) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
352 Collins, N.Y. (T) 0 compounds
No 16
A+
353 Rockland (T) 0 compounds
No 6
A-
354 Westmoreland (T) 0 compounds
No 27
B-
355 Fair Haven (V) 0 compounds
No 1
B+
356 Minerva (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
357 Poestenkill (T) 0 compounds
No 7
A
358 Munnsville (V) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
359 Fort Ann (T) 0 compounds
No 1
B-
360 Poland (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A
361 Castile (T) 0 compounds
No 17
B+

Frequently asked questions about pfas in New York

Does New York tap water contain PFAS?

PFAS were detected in 147 of 361 New York cities tested under EPA's UCMR 5 program. 52 cities exceed the 2024 EPA MCL of 4 ppt for individual PFAS compounds.

How can I remove PFAS from my drinking water in New York?

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are the most effective at removing PFAS, typically removing 90%+ of compounds. High-quality activated carbon block filters (NSF 58-certified for RO, or NSF 53 for solid carbon) also provide significant reduction. Standard pitcher filters vary widely in PFAS removal.