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Not health advice. Contact your local water utility for concerns.
Data from EPA Water Quality Reports. For official information, contact your water utility or health department.
EPA records for BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY • Updated September 2026
Grade A — based on EPA compliance records, lead testing and PFAS monitoring
BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY has a clean recent record: no health-based violations in the last five years and no lead, PFAS or historical monitoring result that costs it more than a few points.
Yes — by EPA's records Buffalo, NY tap water is safe to drink and earns an A. The grade rests on no health-based EPA violations in the last five years and lead at 4 ppb (90th percentile, 2025) against the 15 ppb action level. Lead from your own service line or plumbing is the main risk city-level data cannot see, so homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
Yes — by EPA's records Buffalo, NY tap water is safe to drink and earns an A. The grade rests on no health-based EPA violations in the last five years and lead at 4 ppb (90th percentile, 2025) against the 15 ppb action level. Lead from your own service line or plumbing is the main risk city-level data cannot see, so homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2025-07-01 to 2025-12-31) was 4 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 91 UCMR5 PFAS results for BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY (2023-02-16 to 2023-11-13) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY has 4 violations on file since 2016: 0 health-based in the last five years and 2 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 276,000 people (EPA PWSID NY1400422).
Not on the strength of EPA's data for BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY. A filter still helps with taste and with lead from your own plumbing, which no city-level test can measure.
Want to know what's really in your Buffalo tap water?
EPA data describes water leaving the plant — a certified mail-in lab test shows what reaches your own faucet, including lead from household plumbing.
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BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY · SDWIS records since 2016 · 5-year window starts 2021-09-13
EPA records no health-based violations for this system in the last five years. The 2 violations on file in that window are monitoring or reporting paperwork issues, not measured contaminant exceedances.
| Violation | Category | Compliance period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notification, Known or Potential LSLLEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | Reporting | 2024-10-17 | Resolvedreturned 2025-08-05 |
| Follow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/RLead and Copper Rule | Monitoring & reporting | 2024-07-01 | Resolvedreturned 2024-07-01 |
| Monitoring and Reporting (DBP)Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Monitoring & reporting | 2020-01-01 → 2020-03-31 | Resolvedreturned 2020-03-31 |
| Monitoring and Reporting (DBP)TTHM | Monitoring & reporting | 2020-01-01 → 2020-03-31 | Resolvedreturned 2020-03-31 |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_VIOLATIONS_ENFORCEMENT.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-13)
EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile results reported by BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY
Well below the 15 ppb action level. In the most recent monitoring period on file (2025-07-01 to 2025-12-31), 90% of the homes BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY sampled had lead at or below 4 ppb.
EPA's action level is 15 ppb (dropping to 10 ppb under the 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements). There is no safe level of lead; the 90th-percentile figure describes the system, not your tap — homes with lead service lines or pre-1986 plumbing can be higher.
| Monitoring period | Lead 90th percentile | vs 15 ppb action level |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-01 → 2025-12-31 | 4 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2025-01-01 → 2025-06-30 | 3 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2024-07-01 → 2024-12-31 | 4.7 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2024-01-01 → 2024-06-30 | 3 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2023-07-01 → 2023-12-31 | 3 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2018-01-01 → 2020-12-31 | 4.9 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2015-01-01 → 2017-12-31 | 4.5 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2012-01-01 → 2014-12-31 | 4.1 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2009-01-01 → 2011-12-31 | 5 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2006-01-01 → 2008-12-31 | 6 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2003-01-01 → 2005-12-31 | 3.9 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2000-01-01 → 2002-12-31 | 7 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_LCR_SAMPLES.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-13)
EPA UCMR5 monitoring, 2023-02-16 to 2023-11-13 · 91 PFAS results at entry points to the distribution system
No PFAS detected. None of the 91 UCMR5 PFAS results for BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY were at or above the method reporting limit. Reporting limits are about 3–5 ppt, so “not detected” means below that threshold — not proven zero.
| Compound | Detects / samples | Max (ppt) | Reporting limit | EPA MCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 0 / 3 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS | 0 / 3 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS | 0 / 3 | < 3 | 3 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFNA | 0 / 3 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA | 0 / 3 | < 5 | 5 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFBS | 0 / 3 | < 3 | 3 ppt | hazard index only |
“< 4 ppt” means below the laboratory reporting limit, not zero. ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). Results are for finished water leaving the treatment plant.
What PFAS are and how to remove them →
Source: UCMR5 occurrence data, EPA Data Summary July 2026 (UCMR5_All.txt)
EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance samples for BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY · finished water only · dated data, released 2024
These are the regulated-contaminant samples BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY reported to its state between 2012 and 2019 — the most recent nationwide sample-level dataset EPA has published. Every scored contaminant stayed within its Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) and averaged below 80% of the limit. Treat this as history, not today's tap water.
| Contaminant | Samples | Average | Max | EPA limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | 140 detects | 0 µg/L | ND | 10 µg/LMCL | Not detected |
| Nitrate (as N) | 12 | 0.184 mg/L | 0.36 mg/L | 10 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Fluoride | 14 | 0.389 mg/L | 0.94 mg/L | 4 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Chromium (total) | 142 detects | 0.6 µg/L | 5.2 µg/L | 100 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) | 363 | 29.572 µg/L | 70 µg/L | 80 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) | 363 | 15.854 µg/L | 37 µg/L | 60 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
| Copper (tap samples) | 1 | 15 µg/L | 15 µg/L | 1300 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
Averages count non-detects as zero. TTHM and HAA5 limits are locational running annual averages, so a single high sample is not a violation — we grade those on the average only. Lead and copper rows are individual tap samples and are shown for context; compliance (and our score) uses the 90th-percentile result above. LRAA = locational running annual average; ND = not detected.
Source: SYR4 Six-Year Review compliance monitoring data 2012–2019 (released 2024-03)
BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY · 76,593 service lines inventoried · Q2 2026 snapshot
BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY reports 34,318 service lines that are lead or galvanized-requiring-replacement (45% of the lines it has inventoried), plus 35,839 lines whose material is still unknown. A lead service line is the pipe between the water main and a building, so treated water can pick up lead after it leaves the plant — which city-level testing does not capture. Under EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, utilities must replace lead lines within 10 years starting in 2027.
Source: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory (Q2 2026) · PWS ID NY1400422 · See all New York lead service lines. We may earn a commission from filters and test kits, at no extra cost to you.
Surface-water systems draw from rivers, lakes or reservoirs and must filter and disinfect, which is why disinfection byproducts (TTHM, HAA5) are the readings to watch.
How to test your tap water and the treatment options that actually fit Buffalo homes
The most reliable way to know what is actually coming out of your tap is a certified mail-in lab test. City-wide EPA data (like the report above) reflects the water leaving the treatment plant, but contaminants such as lead and copper can be picked up from your own service line and household plumbing — so the water at your Buffalo faucet can differ from the system average. A state-certified lab measures dozens of contaminants at once with results you can trust; you can also find one near you through the EPA's certified-lab list at epa.gov/dwlabcert. Hardware-store test strips are cheaper and instant, but they only screen for a few basics (chlorine, hardness, pH, and a rough lead pass/fail) and are far less accurate — treat them as a first look, not a diagnosis.
Match the treatment to what your test finds. Reverse osmosis (RO) removes the widest range of contaminants — lead, arsenic, nitrate, PFAS, and dissolved solids — which makes an under-sink reverse osmosis system the most thorough choice for Buffalo households with heavy-metal or PFAS concerns. If your main issue is taste, odor, or chlorine, an activated carbon filter (pitcher, faucet, or under-sink) is simpler and cheaper and handles chlorine and many organic compounds well, though carbon alone does not remove arsenic, nitrate, or most PFAS. NSF-certified pitchers rated for lead reduction are the easiest way to start today while you decide on a permanent setup.
We may earn a commission from testing kits and filters purchased through these links, at no extra cost to you.
What Buffalo residents measured at their own tap (ZIPs 14201, 14202, 14203, 14204 +13 more). All reader results →
Reader submissions are unverified and shown separately from EPA data. They reflect one tap on one day, not the utility's compliance record.
No reader results for Buffalo yet - yours would be the first. A hardness or TDS number from a $10 strip kit is enough to start the map.
Help build the first reader-sourced water map. Enter whatever your test strip, TDS pen or lab report shows - one number is enough.
Buffalo ranks #1 of 5 graded New York cities.
Yes — by EPA's records Buffalo, NY tap water is safe to drink and earns an A. The grade rests on no health-based EPA violations in the last five years and lead at 4 ppb (90th percentile, 2025) against the 15 ppb action level. Lead from your own service line or plumbing is the main risk city-level data cannot see, so homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2025-07-01 to 2025-12-31) was 4 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 91 UCMR5 PFAS results for BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY (2023-02-16 to 2023-11-13) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY has 4 violations on file since 2016: 0 health-based in the last five years and 2 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 276,000 people (EPA PWSID NY1400422).
Not on the strength of EPA's data for BUFFALO WATER AUTHORITY. A filter still helps with taste and with lead from your own plumbing, which no city-level test can measure.
Even with good water quality, a filter removes trace contaminants and improves taste.
For Everyday Peace of Mind
Brita Elite Pitcher
Your water already tests well — a simple carbon filter improves taste and catches trace contaminants.
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