Public Drinking Water

A "Public Water System" is defined by Federal and State drinking water regulations. In New York, any system with at least 5 service connections or that regularly serves an average of at least 25 people daily for at least 60 days out of the year qualifies as a public water system. Federally defined public water systems, which have 15 service connections or serve an average of at least 25 people for at least 60 days a year, are subject to stricter standards. These systems, which can be publicly or privately owned, are monitored and inspected by the Environmental Health Division to ensure compliance with strict treatment, reporting, and water quality standards.

Ongoing monitoring includes annual inspections of water sources, treatment equipment, storage and distribution, as well as routine testing for bacteriological contamination, inorganic minerals, and other contaminants of concern.

A community water system is a public water system that serves the same people year-round. Most residences including homes, apartments, and condominiums in cities, towns and mobile home parks are served by community water systems. Examples of community water systems include municipally-owned (cities, towns, or villages) public water supplies, public water authorities, or privately-owned water suppliers such as homeowner associations, apartment complexes, and mobile home parks that maintain their own drinking water system.

A non-community water system is a public water system that serves the public but does not generally serve the same people year-round. There are two types of non-community water systems transient and non-transient non-community water systems.

A ground water source is a source of water that is taken from beneath the earth's surface, usually in an aquifer, which is a natural underground layer, often of sand or gravel, which contains water. Most public water systems with groundwater sources pump and treat groundwater from wells, which are drilled into the ground to capture water flowing below surface level.

A surface water source is a source of water that is open to the atmosphere and subject to surface runoff. Examples of surface water sources include lakes, rivers, and reservoirs.

Annual Water Quality Reports, required for all federally defined community water systems, provide information about your water system, including the source of the water, treatments provided, and water quality. These reports detail the levels of contaminants, including information on cryptosporidium, radon, and other unregulated contaminants, any violations of national primary drinking water regulations, and any variances or exemptions. The information in an Annual Water Quality Report can raise consumer awareness about their drinking water source, aid in understanding the delivery of safe drinking water, and educate on preventative measures. These reports can be particularly useful for consumers, especially those with special health needs, to make informed decisions regarding their drinking water. Educated consumers are more likely to help protect their drinking water sources and appreciate the true costs of safe drinking water. All community water systems must mail, direct-deliver, or make a good faith estimate to provide this report to you on an annual basis. To contact your public water supply directly, information should be listed on your water bill or can be found in your local telephone directory. For non-community water systems, call your local health department or state district office. The EPA also offers a hotline service for rapid access to information specific to individual water supplies.

Public water supplies test for a variety of man-made chemicals, naturally occurring contaminants, physical characteristics and microbial pathogens. The type of testing and the frequency may be dependent upon the population served, source water type and/or public water supply type. State regulations provide a detailed list of contaminants that are tested in public water supplies.