Where Does New York Get Its Water?
New York City gets its tap water from the Catskill/Delaware and Croton watersheds in upstate New York.
Altogether, they provide 1.5 billion gallons of drinking water to millions of New Yorkers.
The watersheds are so clean that New York City is one of the only municipalities in the country not required by law to filter its water.
Although it starts off fairly pristine, New York’s water changes as it travels…
Most local distribution networks disinfect with chlorine, a chemical that has potential health risks as well as unwanted tastes and smells.
At the same time, aging distribution pipes can lead to serious health risks, especially for children...
Aging Pipes Threaten New York’s Drinking Water
New York has some of the oldest water infrastructure in the nation.
The average age of NYC distribution pipes is 66 years old and it’s only a matter of time before these pipes begin to corrode and leach lead into the city's tap water.
At the same time, the pipes in homes built before 1986 may still contain lead plumbing components.
Lead is especially toxic to brain development of young children.
Although New York's treatment plants add orthophosphate and sodium hydroxide to decrease the release of lead, it may be too little too late...
After all, the pipes under New York cities are deteriorating at an alarming rate.
Syracuse, for example, had roughly 400 water main breaks in 2014 alone, and the problem has only gotten worse.
In New York City, a water main breaks every single day.
Each time a pipe breaks, pollutants in the surrounding soil seep into the water supply. Yikes!
Who Is In Charge of Regulating New York’s Tap Water?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates tap water safety across the nation and publishes annual test results every year.
Day-to-day monitoring, though, falls on the shoulders of New York State’s Department of Environmental Protection.
But not everyone agrees with the governments water quality standards...
Organizations like The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recommend much tougher guidelines based on the latest research on water pollutants and human health.
In their opinion, the EPA’s contaminant limits leave millions of Americans exposed to negative side effects like hormone imbalances and cancer.
Worst of all, there are no legal limits for more than 160 unregulated contaminants in US tap water (the EPA only monitors 90).
In other words, legal does not necessarily mean safe.
Cancer-Causing Contaminants Found In New York’s Tap Water
According to a recent EWG report, six different cancer-causing contaminants were found above the recommended limit, including:
- Bromodichloromethane
- Chloroform
- Chromium 6
- Dichloroacetic acid
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
- Trichloroacetic acid
Despite these findings, state officials argue that New York’s tap water is perfectly healthy to drink.
New York Leads the Way with Some of the Strictest Standards Against PFAS
New York state is taking major steps against per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): a dangerous group of contaminants with severe health effects.
PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because once they enter the environment they're nearly impossible to remove.
Worst of all, studies show that PFAS cause birth defects in laboratory animals.
As a country, there's still a lot that needs to be done to remove PFAS, but New York is leading the way...
“While the federal government continues to leave emerging contaminants like 1,4-Dioxane, PFOA and PFOS unregulated, New York is leading the way by setting new national standards that help ensure drinking water quality and safeguard New Yorker’s health from these chemicals.”
What Water Should You Drink When You Visit NYC?
The Big Apple has water bottle refill stations located throughout the city.
By 2025, the city plans to install up to 500 refill stations in all five boroughs as part of the city’s Water-On-The-Go program.
But despite New York’s nation-leading water standards, you may want to think twice about drinking their tap water...
After all, disinfectants like chlorine may increase the risk of cancer and lead exposure from damaged pipes is a major concern.
Unfortunately, bottled water isn’t much better because most brands just use local tap water supplies.
At the same time, contaminants like BPAS and PFAS leach into the water from plastic containers.
When it comes down to it, the only way to get pure, toxin-free tap water is to filter it on-site...
Should New Yorkers Use Home Water Filters?
Due to New York’s aging lead pipes, disinfectants like chlorine and toxic microplastics in bottled water, in-home water filters offer the best source of pure drinking water.
Fortunately, there are plenty of affordable home water filters to choose from…
Cloud Water Filters can remove up to 99% of harmful pollutants, including hard-to-remove ones like Chromium 6 and PFAS.
They even use built-in software to monitor your water quality 24/7.
Click here to learn more.
