# Nyc, NY — Drinking Water Quality (2023)

> Contaminant levels for the Nyc, NY public water system from its 2023 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/ny/nyc/2023
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/ny/nyc/2023
- Source: the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- Verification: transcribed by a model, cross-checked by a second model, approved before publishing
- Reporting year: 2023
- Contaminants measured: 25
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 8
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 1
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 48 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 48 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Bromochloroacetic acid | Inorganic chemicals | 1.4 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Nitrate | Inorganic chemicals | 0.1 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | 10 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Nitrite | Inorganic chemicals | Not detected mg/L (Average) | System-wide | 1 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Sulfate | Inorganic chemicals | 6 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Copper | Metals | 0.195 mg/L (90th percentile) | At the tap | 1.3 mg/L (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Lead | Metals | 10 ug/L (90th percentile) | At the tap | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| Manganese | Metals | 19 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Potassium | Metals | 0.7 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Sodium | Metals | 13 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Strontium | Metals | 23 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Zinc | Metals | Not detected mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Cryptosporidium | Microbial | 0–4 (Range) | Source water | 0 (MCLG) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Giardia lamblia | Microbial | 0–14 (Range) | Source water | 0 (MCLG) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Coliform | Microbial | 1.9 % (Maximum) | System-wide | 5 % (Treatment technique) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Dehp | Other | Not detected (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | Other | Not detected (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFOA | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | Not detected ng/L (Average) | System-wide | 4 ng/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| pH | Physical & aggregate | 7.3 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Specific Conductance | Physical & aggregate | 112 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Temperature | Physical & aggregate | 57 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| TOC | Physical & aggregate | 1.6 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Physical & aggregate | 66 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Turbidity | Physical & aggregate | 2.1 NTU (Average) | System-wide | 1 NTU (MCL) | At or above the limit |

## What these contaminants are

- **HAA5** — Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is associated with an increased cancer risk.
- **TTHM** — Total trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is linked to liver, kidney, and central-nervous-system effects and increased cancer risk.
- **Bromochloroacetic acid** — A mixed-halogen haloacetic acid disinfection byproduct. Part of the broader HAA9 group; monitored without its own enforceable limit.
- **Nitrate** — A compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. Levels above the federal limit can cause 'blue baby syndrome,' a serious oxygen-transport condition in infants.
- **Nitrite** — A compound from fertilizer runoff, sewage, and erosion of natural deposits. Like nitrate, elevated levels can cause 'blue baby syndrome' in infants.
- **Sulfate** — A naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. No health-based federal limit; high levels can have a laxative effect and a bitter taste.
- **Copper** — A metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. Short-term exposure causes stomach distress; long-term exposure can damage the liver and kidneys.
- **Lead** — A toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. There is no safe level of lead; it harms brain development in children and raises blood pressure in adults. The EPA sets an action level, not a health goal above zero.
- **Manganese** — A naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. No enforceable federal limit; high levels stain fixtures and laundry and can affect taste, with a health advisory for infants.
- **Potassium** — A naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. Not federally regulated for health.
- **Sodium** — A naturally occurring salt component. Not federally regulated for health; relevant for people on sodium-restricted diets.
- **Zinc** — A naturally occurring metal that can also enter water from corroding pipes. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels cause a metallic taste.
- **Total Coliform** — A group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. Coliforms themselves are usually harmless, but their presence signals that disease-causing organisms could enter the system.
- **PFOA** — Perfluorooctanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in nonstick and stain-resistant products. Linked to cancer, liver damage, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.
- **pH** — A measure of how acidic or basic the water is. Regulated only as a secondary standard; very low or high pH can corrode pipes or affect taste.
- **Specific Conductance** — A measure of how well water conducts electricity, which tracks dissolved mineral content. Not federally regulated for health; used as a proxy for total dissolved solids.
- **Temperature** — The measured temperature of the water sample. Not regulated for health; warmer water can affect disinfection and microbial growth.
- **TOC** — Total organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. Not harmful itself, but it is the raw material that forms disinfection byproducts; removal is a treatment requirement.
- **Total Dissolved Solids** — Total dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels affect taste and hardness.
- **Turbidity** — A measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. High turbidity can shelter microbes from disinfection; the EPA enforces it through a treatment-technique standard.

## How to read this

- A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
- 'Federal limit' is the EPA standard (MCL, action level, treatment technique, etc.) that the measured level is compared against.
- 'At or above the federal limit' means the utility's own reported figure met or exceeded that standard.

_Figures are the utility's own published numbers. Generated 2026-06-04 from thewatermap.com._