We read 18 results from Port Washington WD’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 7 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 34,000 people · Water system ID NY2912267 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2025 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)highest measured · range ND to 4.21 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 4.21 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Lead90th percentile of 30 homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2024 · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 5 | 3.6 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal18x the health goal |
| Perchloratehighest measured · range ND to 1.1 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 1.1 ppb | 1 ppb | 6 ppb | Above the health goal1.1x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 8.03 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 8.03 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 10 ppt (New York) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20292x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029; below the 10 ppt New York limitNot a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| PFOS (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 2.7 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 2.7 ppt | 1 ppt | 10 ppt (New York) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal2.7x the health goal |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)highest measured · range ND to 2.33 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 2.33 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Uraniumhighest measured · range ND to 2.11 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 2.11 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal3.5x the health goal |
| Bariumhighest measured · range 0.01 to 0.04 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.04 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chloridehighest measured · range 71.5 to 106 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 106 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Chlorineaverage · range 0.23 to 1.3 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.86 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of 30 homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2024 · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.15 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest measured · range ND to 3.8 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 5 | 3.8 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · range 3.4 to 5.8 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 5.8 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Seleniumhighest measured · range ND to 2.9 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 2.9 ppb | 30 ppb | 50 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Sulfatehighest measured · range 10.9 to 84.9 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 84.9 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Total dissolved solidshighest measured · range 58 to 297 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 297 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Hardnesshighest measured · range 2.06 to 10.1 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 10.1 gpg (173 ppm) | — | — | Hard |
| Sodiumhighest measured · range 22 to 39 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 39 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in Port Washington WD’s water between Feb 2023 and Jun 2026. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA5.3 pptFound in 3 of 18 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS4.7 pptFound in 1 of 18 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFNA4.2 pptFound in 1 of 18 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross alpha (radioactivity), Radium (combined 226 + 228), Uranium
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Lead
Found: Lead
What removes it: Certified carbon block or RO.
Industrial chemicals and pesticides
Found: Perchlorate
What removes it: Carbon block or RO.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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