States ›New York ›Delaware County ›Colchester

Colchester, NY Tap Water Quality 2026

Water quality report for Colchester, NY — PFAS, lead and copper results, violation history and state inspection findings from EPA SDWIS.

A look at Colchester's drinking water using EPA enforcement records: violations, lead and copper results, PFAS sampling and state inspection findings.

Main Utility: Downsville Water District PWSID: NY1200258 Updated: 2026 Q2
✅

No federal limits exceeded on record

Lead is 1.50 ppb, 10% of the action level and no violations are open. PFAS has never been sampled at this system.

B

Colchester earns a B for water quality

Graded on violations and lead, with state inspection findings. PFAS not tested.

Lead: 1.50 ppb — 10% of the federal action level
PFAS never sampled at this system
39 violations since 2015, 0 health-based
No violations currently open
Colchester's lead level vs. all New York community water systems
0 ppb5 ppb10 ppb15 ppb
Lead level: 1.50 ppb — 10% of the federal action level
✓ Lower lead than 74% of New York utilities
Population Served
248
~225 connections
Water Source
Surface water
Groundwater under the direct influence of surface water — SDWIS source code GU
Active Violations
0
39 since 2015, all resolved

Lead & Copper Testing

Lead (Pb)
90th percentile of tap samples collected across the distribution system
10% of EPA action level
1.50 ppb
Action level: 15 ppb
Copper (Cu)
90th percentile of tap samples. SDWIS reports a copper figure only when a system exceeds the action level, so any value here is an exceedance.
174.6% of EPA action level
2,270 ppb
Action level: 1,300 ppb
The 90th-percentile lead result is 1.50 ppb, 10% of the 15 ppb federal action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and it is measured across sampled taps rather than at any single home. Copper reached the action level here; a copper figure appears in SDWIS only when a system triggers it.

Contaminant Violations (2015–Present)

ContaminantTypeMeasuredLimitPeriodStatus
Revised Total Coliform Rule MONITORING FAILURE — — 2024 Resolved
Revised Total Coliform Rule MONITORING FAILURE — — 2024 Resolved
Consumer Confidence Rule OTHER — — 2024 Resolved
Consumer Confidence Rule OTHER — — 2024 Resolved
Nitrate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 10 mg/L 2022 Resolved
Arsenic MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.010 mg/L 2022 Resolved
Barium MONITORING AND REPORTING — 2 mg/L 2022 Resolved
Cadmium MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.005 mg/L 2022 Resolved
Chromium MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.1 mg/L 2022 Resolved
CYANIDE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.2 mg/L 2022 Resolved
Fluoride MONITORING AND REPORTING — 4.0 mg/L 2022 Resolved
Mercury MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2022 Resolved
Nickel MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2022 Resolved
Antimony, Total MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.006 mg/L 2022 Resolved
Beryllium, Total MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.004 mg/L 2022 Resolved
Thallium, Total MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2022 Resolved
Selenium MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.05 mg/L 2022 Resolved
Nitrate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 10 mg/L 2022 Resolved
TTHM MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.080 mg/L 2021 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.060 mg/L 2021 Resolved
Revised Total Coliform Rule MONITORING FAILURE — — 2021 Resolved
Nitrate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 10 mg/L 2021 Resolved
Lead and Copper Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — TT 2020 Resolved
Revised Total Coliform Rule MONITORING FAILURE — — 2019 Resolved
Lead and Copper Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — TT 2019 Resolved
Lead and Copper Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — TT 2019 Resolved
Lead and Copper Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — TT 2018 Resolved
Arsenic MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.010 mg/L 2017–2019 Resolved
Barium MONITORING AND REPORTING — 2 mg/L 2017–2019 Resolved
Cadmium MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.005 mg/L 2017–2019 Resolved
Chromium MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.1 mg/L 2017–2019 Resolved
CYANIDE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.2 mg/L 2017–2019 Resolved
Fluoride MONITORING AND REPORTING — 4.0 mg/L 2017–2019 Resolved
Mercury MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2017–2019 Resolved
Nickel MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2017–2019 Resolved
Antimony, Total MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.006 mg/L 2017–2019 Resolved
Beryllium, Total MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.004 mg/L 2017–2019 Resolved
Thallium, Total MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2017–2019 Resolved
Selenium MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.05 mg/L 2017–2019 Resolved
Understanding violation types MCL violations mean a contaminant exceeded the federal maximum limit — the most serious type.
TT (Treatment Technique) violations mean required treatment procedures weren't followed, but don't necessarily mean contamination occurred.

Violation History

39 violations are on record since 2015, of which 0 were health-based. All have been resolved and none remain open.

About the Main Water System

Utility Downsville Water District
PWSID NY1200258
Water source Surface water — Groundwater under the direct influence of surface water — SDWIS source code GU
Population served 248
Service connections 225
Systems serving this area 2
Regulator State primacy agency
Data through 2026 Q2 — EPA SDWIS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Colchester tap water safe to drink? ▼
No federal limit is exceeded on record. No violations are currently open. Lead is 1.50 ppb, 10% of the action level.
Does Colchester water have PFAS? ▼
This system has never been sampled for PFAS. EPA's national monitoring covered systems serving 3,300 people or more, so no results exist — which is not evidence that none is present.
Who supplies water to Colchester? ▼
Downsville Water District (PWSID NY1200258), one of 2 systems serving this area. Surface water. Groundwater under the direct influence of surface water — SDWIS source code GU
When was this system last inspected? ▼
It was last inspected on 2023-04-28. Inspectors recorded 1 significant deficiency.

What Should Colchester Residents Do?

1
Read your annual water report
Your supplier publishes a Consumer Confidence Report each July covering the prior year.
2
Check for a lead service line
Lead reaches tap water mainly through service lines and household plumbing. Suppliers now publish an inventory identifying lead lines.
3
Flush before drinking
If water has sat in pipes more than six hours, run the cold tap for two minutes before drinking or cooking.

Nearby Cities in New York

Sidney, Ny Tap Water Quality 2026 Delaware Walton, Ny Tap Water Quality 2026 Delaware Delhi, Ny Tap Water Quality 2026 Delaware Stamford, Ny Tap Water Quality 2026 Delaware Hancock, Ny Tap Water Quality 2026 Delaware Stamford, Ny Tap Water Quality 2026 Delaware