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Is Watertown, NY tap water safe?

6 utilities serve Watertown, by EPA’s records. Here is what EPA’s and New York’s records show for each, against the legal limits and the stricter health goals.

Matched to your utility using EPA records.

The short answer

3 of the 6 utilities serving Watertown have a result above a legal limit or action level, or a health-based violation since 2016, in EPA’s and New York’s records: Watertown City, Brownville Village and Pamelia Town WD #2.

Watertown City, which serves the most people here, has 2 results above the legal limit, 1 result above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029 and 1 result above the health goal. The worst: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) at 78.2 ppb, above the legal limit.

A town can be served by more than one utility, and some homes are on private wells. The name on your water bill tells you which is yours, and your ZIP code narrows it down. They are listed by how many people each serves in Watertown’s ZIP codes, from EPA’s estimates.

What handles it

Each of these is certified, on a certifier’s listing, for a result above a line in Watertown City’s water, which serves the most people here. Another utility’s report names what handles its own results.

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Every claim, and more filters, in the full report

Water testing near Watertown

A utility tests the water it sends out. A test of your own tap shows what your pipes add, and on a private well it is the only test there is. It takes a lab New York certifies.

The 3 labs New York certifies closest to Watertown, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.

  • Converse Laboratories Inc.

    Watertown, NY · under a mile

    Certified for bacteria

    (315) 788-8388

  • Oswego Water Treatment Plant Lab

    Oswego, NY · about 46 miles

    Certified for bacteria

    (315) 342-8187

  • Certified Environmental Services Inc.

    North Syracuse, NY · about 59 miles

    Certified for bacteria, nitrate, minerals and other inorganics

    (315) 478-2374

All 161 certified labs for New York

ZIP codes in Watertown

Which ZIP codes are in Watertown: Census 2020 relationship files. Which utilities serve them, and how many people: EPA SDWIS and EPA’s service area map. Each utility’s results: EPA UCMR 5, EPA SDWIS, and EPA’s and the state’s compliance monitoring, as its report lists them. How they are measured: methodology. Certified labs: NYS Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP), drinking water labs, as listed in TNI LAMS; distances from the Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation area gazetteer.

Near Watertown

Other towns in Jefferson County with a page of their own.

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