Tap water in Brooklyn is consistently considered safe to drink and is recognized as some of the highest quality municipal water in the United States. Safety is maintained through a protected natural source and a rigorous testing framework. While the water leaving the reservoir is pristine, potential issues can arise locally within the plumbing of older buildings, which residents can easily mitigate. The city ensures the water meets or exceeds all federal and state drinking water standards before distribution.
The Origin: Understanding the NYC Water Supply
Brooklyn’s tap water originates from a vast, protected network of reservoirs and controlled lakes located far upstate, primarily within the Catskill and Delaware watersheds. This system spans nearly 2,000 square miles and collects water from precipitation that naturally filters through forested land. New York City is one of the few major metropolitan areas permitted to avoid filtering the majority of its supply because the source water is naturally high in quality.
This permission is maintained through a regulatory agreement known as the Filtration Avoidance Determination. Instead of full filtration, the water is treated with disinfection methods, including chlorine and ultraviolet light, to neutralize potential microbial contaminants. The city commits substantial funding to watershed protection programs, often exceeding $100 million annually. These investments preserve the natural infrastructure, which is a major factor in the water’s initial cleanliness.
System-Wide Testing and Quality Assurance
The quality of the water is overseen by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP). The DEP adheres to the strict standards set by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). This oversight involves continuous monitoring both within the upstate watershed and throughout the city’s extensive distribution network. Thousands of samples are collected each month from the reservoirs and from nearly 1,000 street-side sampling stations across the five boroughs.
The DEP conducts over 650,000 analyses annually on more than 46,000 samples to check for hundreds of potential contaminants. Testing includes microbiological, chemical, and physical parameters to ensure regulatory compliance. The results of this extensive testing are compiled and published annually in the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), which is made available to the public. This report confirms that the city’s water meets all established quality standards.
Localized Infrastructure Risks and Lead Exposure
The primary risk to water quality in Brooklyn does not come from the municipal system but from the infrastructure of individual buildings. Water leaving the city’s mains is virtually lead-free, but it can absorb lead once it comes into contact with lead service lines or internal plumbing. Lead service lines, which connect the water main to the building, were banned in 1961, and lead solder in household plumbing was banned in 1987. However, older homes may still have these older materials.
The city actively manages this risk with a technique called corrosion control. This involves adding food-grade orthophosphate to the water before distribution, which forms a protective mineral coating on the inside of pipes. This coating acts as a barrier, preventing lead from leaching into the water. Despite this treatment, lead levels can still increase if water sits stagnant in older pipes for several hours. This localized issue is the most significant concern for Brooklyn residents living in pre-1987 structures.
Practical Steps for Brooklyn Residents
For residents concerned about localized lead exposure, the most effective preventative measure is to run the cold water tap before use. If the water has been sitting in the pipes for several hours, running the water for 30 seconds or until it feels noticeably colder flushes out any water that may have absorbed lead. Always use cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing infant formula, as hot water is more likely to contain elevated levels of metals.
The NYC DEP offers a free residential lead testing program, allowing any city resident to request a kit to test their own tap water. This provides a direct assessment of the water quality within a specific home’s plumbing. While some residents choose to install home filtration systems, these are often used for aesthetic reasons, such as improving the taste or removing the odor of chlorine used for disinfection. A quality filter can provide an additional safeguard against localized lead concerns, but it is not necessary to correct a fundamental safety failure in the city’s main water supply.