Yes. In the five largest New York cities we track, the tap water is under EPA's current lead action level of 15 ppb, and none of them has PFAS results over the 2024 federal limits. Two things stand out: Syracuse, NY has 17 health-based violations in the past 10 years, and its lead figure of 12 ppb is above the stricter 10 ppb level that takes effect in November 2027. New York, NY sits right at that 10 ppb mark.
Below are the numbers for each city, what they mean for a single apartment or house, and what is worth checking or testing. The data was last updated in October 2026.
New York tap water by city
We cover 5 cities in New York State. All five use chlorine as their disinfectant. The table puts the main results side by side.
| City | Population | Lead (90th percentile) | PFAS over 2024 limits | Health violations, 10 years | Hardness | Radon zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 8,478,072 | 10 ppb | None | 1 | Soft | Zone 3 |
| Buffalo, NY | 276,617 | 4 ppb | None | 0 | Moderately hard | Zone 1 |
| Yonkers, NY | 211,040 | 7.1 ppb | None | 0 | Soft | Zone 3 |
| Rochester, NY | 207,282 | 6.8 ppb | None | 1 | Moderately hard | Zone 2 |
| Syracuse, NY | 146,097 | 12 ppb | None | 17 | Moderately hard | Zone 1 |
Every city above meets today's lead action level, and none reports PFAS over the 2024 limits. The differences show up in lead headroom, violation history, hardness and radon, which matter more for a filter or test decision than a yes or no answer.
Lead: what the 90th percentile number tells you
The lead figure is the 90th percentile result: 90% of a utility's home tap samples were at or below it. It describes the system, not any one home. A building with old lead service lines or lead solder can test higher than the citywide number, and a newer building can test lower.
Here is how the benchmarks line up. EPA's action level is 15 ppb today and drops to 10 ppb in November 2027 under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements. FDA's limit for bottled water is 5 ppb. EPA's health goal for lead is zero.
- [Syracuse, NY](/new-york/syracuse/) at 12 ppb is under today's level but above the 2027 level.
- [New York, NY](/new-york/new-york/) at 10 ppb is at the 2027 level, with no room to spare.
- [Yonkers, NY](/new-york/yonkers/) at 7.1 ppb and [Rochester, NY](/new-york/rochester/) at 6.8 ppb are under both EPA levels but above the FDA bottled water limit.
- [Buffalo, NY](/new-york/buffalo/) at 4 ppb is the lowest of the five and under the FDA bottled water limit.
If you live in an older building in any of these cities, the citywide number does not tell you what comes out of your own tap. A home lead test does.
PFAS: no city over the 2024 limits
In April 2024 EPA set enforceable limits of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS, and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX). In May 2025 EPA said it intends to keep the PFOA and PFOS limits, extend the compliance deadline to 2031, and rescind the other three.
We compare results to the 2024 limits. None of the five New York cities we cover has a result over any of them, so the possible rollback of three limits does not change the picture for these cities right now.
Violation history: Syracuse stands apart
Over the past 10 years, Buffalo, NY and Yonkers, NY have 0 health-based violations on record. New York, NY and Rochester, NY each have 1. Syracuse, NY has 17.
A violation count is a record of past problems, not a reading of today's water. Still, a long list is a reason to read your utility's annual water quality report closely and check whether the issues have been resolved. Our numbers come from public EPA records, which can lag behind or differ from what a utility publishes, so treat the utility's own report as the verified source for current conditions. Our methodology explains how we pull and match these records.
Hardness: do you need a softener?
This site uses four categories: soft below 60 mg/L, moderately hard 60 to 119 mg/L, hard 120 to 179 mg/L, and very hard 180 mg/L and above. One grain per gallon (gpg) equals 17.1 mg/L, which helps if a softener or dishwasher asks for gpg.
- Soft: New York, NY and Yonkers, NY. A softener is not something these cities' water calls for.
- Moderately hard: Buffalo, NY, Rochester, NY and Syracuse, NY. Some scale on fixtures and kettles is possible, but this is below the hard range. A softener is a comfort choice here, not a necessity.
Radon: the bigger home risk upstate
Radon is a gas that comes up from the ground into homes, so it is separate from what is in your tap. EPA radon zones describe counties, not houses. Zone 1 counties have a predicted average indoor level above 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), Zone 2 between 2 and 4, and Zone 3 below 2.
Buffalo, NY and Syracuse, NY are in Zone 1. Rochester, NY is in Zone 2. New York, NY and Yonkers, NY are in Zone 3. Homes with high levels are found in every zone, which is why EPA recommends that every home be tested, and fixed at 4 pCi/L or above. A Zone 3 address is not a reason to skip the test, especially for a ground floor or basement unit. See the New York radon page for county detail.
Should you filter New York tap water?
The tap water in these five cities meets current EPA rules on lead and has no PFAS results over the 2024 limits, so a filter is a choice rather than a requirement for most households. The main reason to consider one is lead, since the citywide figure cannot tell you about your own pipes.
- If your building is older, or your city's lead figure is close to or above 10 ppb, as in New York City and Syracuse, test your tap. If lead shows up, use a filter certified for lead reduction.
- If you only dislike the chlorine taste, which applies in all five cities, a basic carbon filter handles that.
- If you are in Buffalo, Rochester or Syracuse and the scale bothers you, look at a softener. In New York City and Yonkers the water is already soft.
What to do next
Start with your city page for the full record: New York, NY, Buffalo, NY, Yonkers, NY, Rochester, NY or Syracuse, NY. The New York state page lists every city we cover, and our guides explain how to pick a filter type. Test your home for radon wherever you live, and if your result is 4 pCi/L or above, or you want a softener installed, you can get installer quotes.