Is Lancaster, NY tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for Erie County Water Authority Direct.
2 public water systems serve parts of Lancaster. The largest, Erie County Water Authority Direct, serves 313,380 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Erie County Water Authority Direct
313,380 people · Surface water · EPA ID NY1400443
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 6 ppb at the 90th percentile (Dec 2025, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Across New York, 31 of 322 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 16 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. New York results.
Lancaster homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Erie County Water Authority Direct publishes a service line inventory you can search by address. Look up your address. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Lancaster town (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Lancaster
- Erie County Water Authority Lancaster29,018 people · Purchased surface water · New York · lists this cityNot in EPA's PFAS sample
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Clarence 8 mi Erie County Water Authority Direct | None above limits | 6 ppb |
| Amherst 9 mi Erie County Water Authority Direct | None above limits | 6 ppb |
| Buffalo 12 mi Erie County Water Authority Direct | None above limits | 6 ppb |
| Orchard Park 12 mi Erie County Water Authority Orchard Park | Not tested | 9.85 ppb |
| North Tonawanda 15 mi North Tonawanda City Water System | None above limits | 5.7 ppb |
| Hamburg 16 mi Erie County Water Authority Direct | None above limits | 6 ppb |
Lancaster ZIP codes (3)
- 14026
- 14043
- 14086
Questions
Is Lancaster tap water safe to drink?
Erie County Water Authority Direct has had no health-based violations since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Lancaster, NY?
2 public water systems serve parts of Lancaster. The largest is Erie County Water Authority Direct (313,380 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Lancaster tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Erie County Water Authority Direct had no PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2025 testing. "Not detected" means below the reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt), not proven zero.
Do Lancaster homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 51% of Lancaster homes as built before 1980 (New York: 74%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Erie County Water Authority Direct's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.