What was found in Brooklyn's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 2013 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 8785 µg/L — BROOKLYN MANOR · 30 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 2013 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 8745 µg/L — BROOKLYN MANOR · 30 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 702 µg/L 54% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 39.1 µg/L 49% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 1.2 µg/L 1.2% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 34.5926 µg/L — BROOKLYN MANOR · 30 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 28.5 µg/L 1.4% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 33.9 µg/L — GORMAN ROAD APARTMENTS · 48 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 29.972 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2018 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 27.8 µg/L 2.8% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: BROOKLYN MANOR · 30 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 10.65 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 9.48 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 5.22 µg/L 35% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 9.095 µg/L — BROOKLYN MANOR · 30 people · 2018 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 6.4 µg/L 107% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 6 µg/L Highest in the city: BROOKLYN MANOR · 30 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 6.36 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 6.31 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 0.2200 pCi/L 1.5% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 4.55 pCi/L — CTWC - PLAINFIELD SYSTEM · 1,713 people · 2018 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 3.65 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 3.09 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 2.981 pCi/L 60% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2018 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.6 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 2.49 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 1.382 µg/L 4.6% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: GORMAN ROAD APARTMENTS · 48 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 1.22866 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: BROOKLYN MANOR · 30 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 0.6228 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Highest in the city: BROOKLYN MANOR · 30 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Asbestos | 0.2000 MFL 2.9% of the EPA limit 7 MFL Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2015 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.00050 mg/L 3.3% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0099 mg/L — GORMAN ROAD APARTMENTS · 48 people · 2023 | 4/4 | LCR |
| PFOA | 0.0099 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2025 | 1/4 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOS | 0.0068 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2025 | 1/4 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0040 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2025 | 1/4 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0033 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM · 6,378 people · 2025 | 1/4 | UCMR-5 |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Brooklyn
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| CTWC - CRYSTAL SYSTEM | 6,378 |
| CTWC - PLAINFIELD SYSTEM | 1,713 |
| GORMAN ROAD APARTMENTS | 48 |
| BROOKLYN MANOR | 30 |
Frequently asked questions about Brooklyn tap water
Is Brooklyn tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 29 contaminants in the water serving Brooklyn. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Brooklyn?
4 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Brooklyn, Connecticut to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Brooklyn's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Brooklyn include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, TTHM, Chromium. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.