Forever Chemicals
Maybe you grew up in New York and only now wonder what was in the water all along. That kind of personal, long-view curiosity is a perfectly good reason to be here. New York's environmental work runs through the Department of Environmental Conservation, with drinking-water standards set by the state Department of Health, and the state has been comparatively forward on PFAS. The figures below come from monitoring of New York's public water systems, and what the records show is worth reviewing when evaluating an address. Read it as context, not a conclusion. No statewide dataset can tell you what is happening at one specific tap.
EPA's UCMR 5 program (2021–2024) tested 50 public water systems in New York for 29 PFAS compounds; 2 reported at least one detection and none exceeded the 2024 federal limit of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (a 4% detection rate). Detections vary by water system — check the utility serving a specific New York address.
New York splits the work between two offices: the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) handles environmental protection, while the Department of Health administers public drinking-water standards. New York is among the states that set their own enforceable PFAS drinking-water limits ahead of the April 2024 federal rule, which is part of why it gets named in national PFAS coverage so often. That state-led posture means residents have, for several years, been covered by enforceable limits at the state level alongside the federal standards the agencies now administer together.
Numbers below come straight from EPA UCMR 5 monitoring (2021–2024). Every public water system in New Yorkserving more than 3,300 people had to test for 29 different PFAS — here's what they reported.
50
Water systems tested
UCMR 5 (2021–2024)
2
Systems with any PFAS detected
4% detection rate
0
Systems exceeding 2024 MCL
Above 4 ppt PFOA/PFOS
2
Distinct PFAS compounds detected
Of 29 monitored under UCMR 5
0
TRI-reporting PFAS facilities
EPA Toxics Release Inventory 2024
3
DoD PFAS installations
Military PFAS contamination sites
Red triangles are military installations the Department of Defense has flagged for PFAS from firefighting foam. Orange dots are industrial facilities that reported PFAS to the EPA Toxics Release Inventory. If your future home sits near a cluster, that's a conversation worth having with the seller or landlord.
These are the New Yorkutilities where EPA testing found PFAS the most often or at the highest levels. Being on this list doesn't automatically mean today's tap water is unsafe — some systems have added treatment since these samples were taken — but it means a conversation with the utility is worth having before you move in.
| Water system | Detections | Max value (ng/L) | vs 2024 MCL |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHNSON CITY WATER WORKS | 1 | 0 | Below MCL |
| SALAMANCA CITY | 1 | 0 | Below MCL |
PFAS isn't one chemical — it's a family of thousands. Here are the specific compounds EPA picked up most often across New York water systems. PFOA and PFOS are the two with the strictest federal limits (4 parts per trillion).
For decades the military trained with AFFF firefighting foam loaded with PFAS. It soaked into soil and groundwater and, in many places, traveled miles. If you're house-hunting near any of these New York installations, the address report will tell you exactly how close.
Former Plattsburgh AFB
Air Force
Francis S. Gabreski
Air Force
Stewart International Airport
Air Force
Looking at a specific New Yorkcity? Each page below pulls the same federal data narrowed to that water system — useful whether you're relocating, buying, organizing your neighborhood around getting cleaner water, or just trying to find out what's in the tap and what's around you.
For New York's veterans and military families, the military-water question is real and personal. The firefighting foam used in training for decades, known as AFFF, contains PFAS compounds that linger in soil and groundwater long after the foam is gone. If you served at or lived near an installation, the worry you carry about that water is legitimate and shared by many. The installations listed above appear because of that documented link between foam use and groundwater PFAS. That connection explains why these sites are flagged; it does not by itself describe what is in any particular home's water now, which is why a closer, address-level look is the sensible next move.
Yes. EPA UCMR 5 monitoring (2021–2024) tested 50 public water systems in New York; 2 had at least one PFAS detection. Detections vary by water system — check your specific serving utility.
Yes. New York is among the states that set their own enforceable PFAS drinking-water limits ahead of the April 2024 federal rule, administered through the state Department of Health. Residents are now covered by both that state-level posture and the federal limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA, and GenX.
Environmental protection runs through the Department of Environmental Conservation, while drinking-water standards are set by the Department of Health. New York has tended to act ahead of the federal timeline on PFAS, so its regulatory posture is among the more proactive in the country, layered on top of the federal limits the agencies administer.
The Department of Environmental Conservation is New York's environmental agency, covering land, air, and water protection. Drinking-water standards specifically are set by the state Department of Health, so if your question is about tap water, both offices are involved.
Use VetMyAddress to see the PFAS detections reported for the public water system serving any New York address, alongside nearby military bases and industrial PFAS sources. The data comes from EPA UCMR 5, EPA TRI, and the DoD PFAS installation report.
In April 2024 the EPA set the first enforceable federal limits for PFAS in drinking water: 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, and 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA (GenX), plus a Hazard Index for certain mixtures. Public water systems must complete initial monitoring by 2027 and come into compliance after that.
No. The federal limits apply to public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own testing and treatment, which is especially worth doing near a known PFAS source like a military base or industrial site.
State numbers tell you the pattern. An address report tells you what's actually in the water at yourkitchen sink — the matched utility, the PFAS detections on file, and every military or industrial source nearby. Whether it's for your family, your neighbors, or peace of mind.
Data sources: EPA UCMR 5 bulk data · EPA TRI 2024 · DoD PFAS installation report