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Public water system record

Watertown City

Serves Watertown, Jefferson County, NY · 27,861 people served

Federal records show 13 health-based violations and no monitoring/reporting issues for Watertown City in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule violation that EPA lists as archived, not resolved.

  • NY2202346
  • WATERTOWN
  • NY
  • 27,861 served

System profile

Source water Surface water
ZIP 13601
EPA system ID NY2202346

Verify this system on EPA ECHO →

Health-based violations, last 10 years
13
Resolved
5
Unresolved
0
Archived by EPA
8
Any acute record
Yes
Monitoring issues, last 10 years
0

Key facts

  • Watertown City draws water from 1 surface water intake.
  • Highest measured level in the last 10 years: Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), 77.2 µg/L, federal limit 60 µg/L (1.3 times the limit), 2017.
  • Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by EPA, June 2021.
  • Record on file since 2003, with 3 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
  • Lead pipe inventory: 6 lead and 377 unknown out of 6,881 service lines.

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Health-based violations

Since October 2016

Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.

Contaminant Rule family Start date Status Acute
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 120 Dec 1, 2025 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
 Yes
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 88.9 µg/L, federal limit 80 µg/L (1.1 times the limit)
 220 Jan 1, 2022 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
 No
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 89.9 µg/L, federal limit 80 µg/L (1.1 times the limit)
 220 Oct 1, 2021 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
 No
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 62.6 µg/L, federal limit 60 µg/L (at or just above the limit)
 220 Jul 1, 2020 Resolved No
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 82.6 µg/L, federal limit 80 µg/L (at or just above the limit)
 220 Jul 1, 2020 Resolved No
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 84.8 µg/L, federal limit 80 µg/L (1.1 times the limit)
 220 Apr 1, 2020 Resolved No
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 64 µg/L, federal limit 60 µg/L (1.1 times the limit)
 220 Jan 1, 2018 Resolved No
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 77.2 µg/L, federal limit 60 µg/L (1.3 times the limit)
 220 Oct 1, 2017 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
 No
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 90.5 µg/L, federal limit 80 µg/L (1.1 times the limit)
 220 Oct 1, 2017 Resolved No
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 60.4 µg/L, federal limit 60 µg/L (at or just above the limit)
 220 Jul 1, 2017 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
 No
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 83.3 µg/L, federal limit 80 µg/L (at or just above the limit)
 220 Jul 1, 2017 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
 No
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 82.2 µg/L, federal limit 80 µg/L (at or just above the limit)
 220 Apr 1, 2017 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
 No
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 80.8 µg/L, federal limit 80 µg/L (at or just above the limit)
 220 Jan 1, 2017 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
 No

Full record since 2003

EPA's records for Watertown City go back to 2003. Before October 19, 2016 they list 3 health-based violations (3 resolved) and 2 monitoring or reporting violations.

Violations that began in Health-based Monitoring and reporting
2000s 0 2
2010 to October 18, 2016 3 0
October 19, 2016 to 2019 7 0
2020s 6 0

Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), began July 2011, Resolved.

Show all 3 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
Contaminant Start date Status
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 64 µg/L, federal limit 60 µg/L (1.1 times the limit)
 Jul 1, 2011 Resolved
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 70 µg/L, federal limit 60 µg/L (1.2 times the limit)
 Apr 1, 2011 Resolved
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 62 µg/L, federal limit 60 µg/L (at or just above the limit)
 Jan 1, 2011 Resolved

Enforcement actions

EPA took 3 formal enforcement actions against Watertown City between 2018 and 2021. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in June 2021.

Date By Action Violations covered
Jun 17, 2021 EPA Compliance order (no penalty) 2 violations (2 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Mar 16, 2021 EPA Compliance order (no penalty) 3 violations (3 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Jul 5, 2018 EPA Compliance order (no penalty) 7 violations (7 health-based): Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

What the violations mean

Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

8 incidents

Disinfection byproduct levels exceeded the federal limit

Long-term TTHM exposure may increase bladder cancer risk

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)

4 incidents

Haloacetic acid byproducts exceeded the federal limit

Long-term exposure to HAAs may increase cancer risk

Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule

1 incident

The system did not meet a filtration or treatment requirement for surface water

Inadequate treatment of surface water can let pathogens such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia through

Where the water comes from

Watertown City draws water from 1 surface water intake. 4 other community water systems buy water from Watertown City.

Community systems that buy water from it

Annual water quality report

Watertown City must give its customers an annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) by July 1, with the levels its tests found in the previous year.

Systems serving 10,000 or more people must mail or deliver the report to every customer, and from 2027 they must send it twice a year.

Find a posted report with EPA's Consumer Confidence Report search

Testing your own water

To test the water at your tap, or a private well this record does not cover, use a laboratory certified for drinking water by New York.

Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells