WaterVerge
PFAS Contamination

PFAS in New York Drinking Water

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

367
Cities Tested
54
Exceeds Limit
15%
% Exceeds Limit
1.1 compounds
State Avg
▼ 6% vs national
vs National
630
Health Violations

PFAS in New York: what the data shows

New York has 367 cities with PFAS monitoring data from the EPA's UCMR 5 program. PFAS ("forever chemicals") were detected in 150 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. 54 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
15%
54 of 367 cities
▼ 6% below national rate (better)
National avg
21%
1662 of 7853 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 Smithtown (T) 10 compounds
Yes 11
D
3 Smithtown (T) 10 compounds
Yes 5
C+
4 Smithtown (T) 10 compounds
Yes 5
B+
5 Smithtown (T) 10 compounds
Yes 5
B
6 Smithtown (T) 10 compounds
Yes 6
B+
7 Smithtown (T) 10 compounds
Yes 7
B-
8 Smithtown (T) 10 compounds
Yes 3
C
9 Smithtown (T) 10 compounds
Yes 11
B-
10 Smithtown (T) 10 compounds
Yes 3
A-
11 Hempstead (T) 10 compounds
Yes 14
D
12 Hempstead (T) 10 compounds
Yes 9
F
13 New Castle (T) 10 compounds
Yes 3
B
14 Oyster Bay (T) 8 compounds
No 14
B-
15 Leray (T) 8 compounds
No 4
B+
16 Nyack (V) 7 compounds
Yes 3
B
17 Nyack (V) 7 compounds
Yes 3
B
18 Binghamton (C) 6 compounds
Yes 5
A-
19 Fishkill (T) 6 compounds
Yes 2
B
20 Monroe (V) 6 compounds
Yes 2
A-
21 Chenango (T) 5 compounds
Yes 17
F
22 Williston Park (V) 5 compounds
Yes 2
A-
23 Barton (T) 5 compounds
Yes 4
B
24 Harriman (V) 5 compounds
Yes 22
B+
25 Hempstead (T) 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 Port Chester (V) 3 compounds
Yes 0
A
39 Port Chester (V) 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 Wappinger (T) 3 compounds
No 9
D
44 New Hyde Park (V) 3 compounds
Yes 1
A
45 Hyde Park (T) 3 compounds
Yes 37
F
46 Catskill (V) 3 compounds
Yes 102
F
47 Lagrange (T) 3 compounds
Yes 0
F
48 Clifton Park (T) 2 compounds
No 4
D
49 Saratoga Sprngs (C) 2 compounds
No 3
A-
50 Glen Cove (C) 2 compounds
Yes 4
B+
51 Watertown (C) 2 compounds
Yes 19
B
52 Kingston (C) 2 compounds
Yes 8
A-
53 Garden City (V) 2 compounds
Yes 5
A-
54 Roslyn (V) 2 compounds
Yes 1
A
55 Batavia (C) 2 compounds
No 0
A+
56 Woodbury (T) 2 compounds
No 18
C+
57 Bedford (T) 2 compounds
Yes 9
D
58 Scotia (V) 2 compounds
No 3
B
59 Fallsburg (T) 2 compounds
No 2
F
60 Corning (C) 2 compounds
Yes 2
B-
61 Somers (T) 2 compounds
Yes 4
F
62 Mount Kisco (V) 2 compounds
No 5
A-
63 Waterford (V) 2 compounds
No 2
A
64 Baldwinsville (V) 2 compounds
No 1
A
65 Oyster Bay (T) 2 compounds
No 2
A
66 Hilton (V) 2 compounds
No 0
A
67 Montgomery (V) 2 compounds
No 0
A+
68 Cortlandville (T) 2 compounds
No 2
A+
69 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 3
B
70 Syracuse (C) 1 compounds
No 29
C+
71 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 2
B+
72 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
C+
73 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 3
B
74 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
75 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 4
B+
76 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 3
B
77 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 4
B+
78 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 5
C+
79 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 2
B
80 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
81 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
82 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
83 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
84 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
85 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
86 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
87 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
88 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
89 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
90 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
91 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
92 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
93 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
94 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
95 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
96 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
97 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
98 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
99 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
100 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
101 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
102 Wheatland (T) 1 compounds
No 1
B
103 Ithaca (C) 1 compounds
No 11
B+
104 Hempstead (V) 1 compounds
Yes 1
A-
105 Endicott (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A-
106 Long Beach (C) 1 compounds
No 3
A
107 Bethlehem (T) 1 compounds
No 12
A-
108 Ossining (T) 1 compounds
Yes 6
C
109 Plattsburgh (C) 1 compounds
No 1
A-
110 Lewiston (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A-
111 Gloversville (C) 1 compounds
No 2
A-
112 Glenville (T) 1 compounds
Yes 0
A
113 Geneva (C) 1 compounds
No 2
A
114 Cornwall-On-Hudson (V) 1 compounds
No 3
B+
115 Newfane (T) 1 compounds
No 0
A+
116 Big Flats (T) 1 compounds
No 4
A-
117 Ulster (T) 1 compounds
No 3
F
118 Ilion (V) 1 compounds
No 3
C+
119 Colonie (V) 1 compounds
Yes 1
A-
120 Catskill (V) 1 compounds
No 98
D
121 Monticello (V) 1 compounds
Yes 2
C+
122 Norwich (C) 1 compounds
No 24
A
123 Huron (T) 1 compounds
No 1
A-
124 Alfred (V) 1 compounds
No 2
C
125 Washingtonville (V) 1 compounds
No 0
B+
126 Crawford (T) 1 compounds
No 3
C-
127 Waterloo (V) 1 compounds
No 1
A-
128 Walden (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A
129 East Aurora (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A-
130 Wellsville (V) 1 compounds
No 0
C+
131 Salamanca (C) 1 compounds
No 0
C-
132 Goshen (V) 1 compounds
No 10
B+
133 Wappinger Falls (V) 1 compounds
No 0
B+
134 Bath (V) 1 compounds
No 1
C+
135 Penn Yan (V) 1 compounds
No 8
B-
136 Hoosick Falls (V) 1 compounds
No 1
A-
137 Erwin (T) 1 compounds
Yes 2
D+
138 Fort Edward(V) 1 compounds
No 4
B
139 Ravena (V) 1 compounds
No 3
A
140 Springville (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A-
141 Greenport (T) 1 compounds
No 1
C-
142 Liberty (V) 1 compounds
No 1
B+
143 Ticonderoga (T) 1 compounds
No 4
A-
144 Cazenovia (V) 1 compounds
No 0
A-
145 Eaton (T) 1 compounds
No 12
B+
146 Clarendon (T) 1 compounds
No 0
A
147 Friendship (T) 1 compounds
No 38
C+
148 Fallsburg (T) 1 compounds
No 0
A-
149 South Bristol (T) 1 compounds
No 0
C-
150 Schoharie (T) 1 compounds
No 94
B-
151 New York (C) 0 compounds
No 11
A-
152 Evans (T) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
153 Evans (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
154 Evans (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
155 Evans (T) 0 compounds
No 8
B-
156 Evans (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
157 Evans (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
158 Evans (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
159 Evans (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
160 Evans (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
161 Evans (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
162 Evans (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
163 Yonkers (C) 0 compounds
No 2
B+
164 Tuckahoe (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
165 Tuckahoe (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
166 Tuckahoe (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
167 Tuckahoe (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
168 Tuckahoe (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
169 Tuckahoe (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
170 Tuckahoe (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
171 Tuckahoe (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
172 Tuckahoe (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
173 New Hartford (V) 0 compounds
No 27
B-
174 New Hartford (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B-
175 New Hartford (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
176 New Hartford (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
177 New Hartford (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
178 New Hartford (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
179 New Hartford (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
180 New Hartford (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
181 New Hartford (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
182 New Hartford (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
183 New Hartford (V) 0 compounds
No 25
B+
184 Albany (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
185 Kenmore (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A
186 Colonie (T) 0 compounds
No 1
A+
187 Schenectady (C) 0 compounds
No 1
B+
188 Mount Vernon (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
189 Mamaroneck 0 compounds
No 5
B+
190 White Plains (C) 0 compounds
No 1
A-
191 Niagara Falls (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
192 Elmira Heights (V) 0 compounds
No 5
B+
193 Elmira Heights (V) 0 compounds
No 5
B+
194 Elmira Heights (V) 0 compounds
No 5
B+
195 Elmira Heights (V) 0 compounds
No 5
B+
196 Troy (C) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
197 Jamestown (C) 0 compounds
No 1
A
198 Greenburgh (T) 0 compounds
No 40
B
199 Freeport (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
200 Poughkeepsie (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
201 Mount Pleasant (T) 0 compounds
No 36
C
202 Oyster Bay (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
203 Rome (C) 0 compounds
No 20
B+
204 North Tonawanda (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
205 Cortlandt (T) 0 compounds
No 11
B+
206 Great Neck Estates (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
207 Great Neck Estates (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
208 Great Neck Estates (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
209 Great Neck Estates (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
210 Great Neck Estates (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
211 Great Neck Estates (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
212 Great Neck Estates (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
213 Poughkeepsie (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A
214 Rotterdam (T) 0 compounds
No 2
A
215 Guilderland (T) 0 compounds
No 18
A-
216 Middletown (C) 0 compounds
No 3
A
217 De Witt (T) 0 compounds
No 6
A-
218 Oswego (C) 0 compounds
No 4
A
219 Newburgh (C) 0 compounds
No 17
A-
220 Auburn (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
221 Brockport (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
222 Rensselaer (C) 0 compounds
No 6
B+
223 Rockville Center (V) 0 compounds
No 5
A
224 Peekskill (C) 0 compounds
No 15
A-
225 Macedon (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A+
226 Queensbury (T) 0 compounds
No 2
F
227 Scarsdale 0 compounds
No 0
A
228 Lockport (C) 0 compounds
No 0
A
229 Lockport (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
230 Amsterdam (C) 0 compounds
No 33
B-
231 Cortland (C) 0 compounds
No 5
A
232 Hempstead (T) 0 compounds
No 5
A-
233 Grand Island (T) 0 compounds
No 2
C+
234 Wheatfield (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
235 Highlands (T) 0 compounds
No 22
B
236 Cohoes (C) 0 compounds
No 5
B+
237 Massena (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
238 Angola (V) 0 compounds
No 4
B+
239 Fulton (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A
240 Oneonta (T) 0 compounds
No 1
C
241 Clay (T) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
242 Oneonta (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
243 Carmel (T) 0 compounds
No 17
C-
244 Horseheads (V) 0 compounds
No 6
D+
245 Halfmoon (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A
246 Olean (C) 0 compounds
No 1
B
247 Beacon (C) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
248 Sea Cliff (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
249 Malone (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A+
250 Farmington (T) 0 compounds
No 7
A
251 Dunkirk (C) 0 compounds
No 1
C
252 Royalton (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
253 Oneida (C) 0 compounds
No 3
A
254 Oneida (C) 0 compounds
No 3
A
255 Malta (T) 0 compounds
No 3
D
256 Canandaigua (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
257 Plattsburgh (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A-
258 Wilton (T) 0 compounds
No 7
D
259 Tarrytown (V) 0 compounds
No 3
B+
260 North Greenbush (T) 0 compounds
No 5
A-
261 Canandaigua (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
262 Hornell (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
263 Elma (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
264 Owego (V) 0 compounds
No 5
B-
265 Ontario (T) 0 compounds
No 4
A+
266 Ballston (T) 0 compounds
No 6
B+
267 Ogdensburg (C) 0 compounds
No 1
A-
268 Livonia (V) 0 compounds
No 14
A
269 Watervliet (C) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
270 Hornell (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A
271 Hornell (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A
272 Saugerties (T) 0 compounds
No 6
F
273 Chautauqua (T) 0 compounds
No 41
F
274 Fredonia (V) 0 compounds
No 0
D
275 Seneca Falls (V) 0 compounds
No 2
B+
276 Briarcliff Manor (V) 0 compounds
No 9
A-
277 Newark (V) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
278 Scriba (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
279 Port Jervis (C) 0 compounds
No 12
A-
280 Porter (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
281 Dansville (V) 0 compounds
No 4
A
282 Farmingdale (V) 0 compounds
No 1
A
283 Herkimer (V) 0 compounds
No 44
F
284 New Paltz (T) 0 compounds
No 4
C+
285 Potsdam (V) 0 compounds
No 14
B+
286 Johnstown (C) 0 compounds
No 2
A
287 Moreau (T) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
288 Niagara (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
289 Croton-On-Hudson (V) 0 compounds
No 1
A
290 Geneseo (V) 0 compounds
No 7
A-
291 Brunswick (T) 0 compounds
No 8
D+
292 Canton (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
293 Hudson Falls (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A
294 Porter (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
295 Warwick (V) 0 compounds
No 5
A
296 Hudson (C) 0 compounds
No 5
A
297 Bayville (V) 0 compounds
No 3
A
298 New Baltimore (T) 0 compounds
No 22
B
299 Irvington (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A
300 Williamson (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A
301 Ballston Spa (V) 0 compounds
No 2
B
302 Medina (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
303 Larchmont (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
304 Marion (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
305 Dannemora (V) 0 compounds
No 6
A-
306 Skaneateles (T) 0 compounds
No 36
B-
307 Pendleton (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
308 Albion (V) 0 compounds
No 3
A
309 Rhinebeck (V) 0 compounds
No 1
A-
310 Wilson (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
311 Cambria (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
312 Lyons (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
313 Salamanca 0 compounds
No 4
F
314 Esopus (T) 0 compounds
No 25
D
315 Akwesasne 0 compounds
No 3
B
316 Tupper Lake (V) 0 compounds
No 67
C+
317 Canandaigua (T) 0 compounds
No 2
A
318 Saranac Lake (V) 0 compounds
No 4
A
319 Elmsford (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A-
320 Mechanicville (C) 0 compounds
No 8
B+
321 Lake Placid (V) 0 compounds
No 1
A+
322 Lloyd (T) 0 compounds
No 4
B-
323 Old Westbury (V) 0 compounds
No 1
A-
324 Kingsbury (T) 0 compounds
No 9
C+
325 Cobleskill (V) 0 compounds
No 7
B
326 Shawangunk (T) 0 compounds
No 7
B-
327 Little Falls (C) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
328 Menands (V) 0 compounds
No 7
A-
329 Homer (V) 0 compounds
No 2
B+
330 Ellenville (V) 0 compounds
No 15
C+
331 Gouverneur (V) 0 compounds
No 11
A
332 Perry (T) 0 compounds
No 17
B+
333 Royalton (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
334 Hamilton (V) 0 compounds
No 0
A
335 Fishkill (V) 0 compounds
No 0
B+
336 Highland Falls (V) 0 compounds
No 3
A-
337 New Baltimore (T) 0 compounds
No 19
A-
338 New Baltimore (T) 0 compounds
No 19
A-
339 Lowville (V) 0 compounds
No 39
B
340 Warsaw (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A-
341 Richland (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A+
342 Warrensburg (T) 0 compounds
No 20
D
343 South Glens Falls (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
344 Delhi (V) 0 compounds
No 2
D
345 Westfield (V) 0 compounds
No 0
B+
346 Warsaw (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A-
347 Perry (T) 0 compounds
No 3
A
348 Perry (T) 0 compounds
No 2
A
349 Carthage (V) 0 compounds
No 18
B-
350 Palmyra (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
351 Mount Morris (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A
352 Gorham (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
353 Windham (T) 0 compounds
No 73
D
354 Geneva (T) 0 compounds
No 0
B+
355 Phelps (T) 0 compounds
No 11
B-
356 Rockland (T) 0 compounds
No 6
A-
357 Corinth (V) 0 compounds
No 3
B+
358 Fort Plain (V) 0 compounds
No 7
A-
359 Moravia (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A-
360 Fort Ann (T) 0 compounds
No 1
B-
361 Willsboro (T) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
362 Collins, N.Y. (T) 0 compounds
No 16
A+
363 Fair Haven (V) 0 compounds
No 1
B+
364 Minerva (T) 0 compounds
No 0
A
365 Poestenkill (T) 0 compounds
No 7
A
366 Munnsville (V) 0 compounds
No 4
A-
367 Poland (V) 0 compounds
No 2
A

Frequently asked questions about pfas in New York

Does New York tap water contain PFAS?

PFAS were detected in 150 of 367 New York cities tested under EPA's UCMR 5 program. 54 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.