Is Penfield, NY tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
Monroe County Water Authority has 1 unresolved health-based violation on record.
Is it an emergency? No: these findings are about longer-term exposure, and nothing in EPA's data calls for you to stop drinking the water today. If your utility issues a boil-water or do-not-drink notice, follow it.
Monroe County Water Authority supplies Penfield (525,262 people).
Water system
Monroe County Water Authority
525,262 people · Surface water · EPA ID NY2701047
| 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: 5 ppb at the 90th percentile (Jun 2026, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 1
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.
Penfield homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Penfield town (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Perinton 5 mi Monroe County Water Authority | None above limits | 5 ppb |
| Webster 5 mi Monroe County Water Authority | None above limits | 5 ppb |
| Pittsford 7 mi Monroe County Water Authority | None above limits | 5 ppb |
| Henrietta 12 mi Monroe County Water Authority | None above limits | 5 ppb |
| Gates 14 mi Monroe County Water Authority | None above limits | 5 ppb |
| Greece 15 mi Monroe County Water Authority | None above limits | 5 ppb |
Penfield ZIP codes (2)
- 14526
- 14625
Questions
Is Penfield tap water safe to drink?
Monroe County Water Authority had 1 health-based violation 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 Penfield, NY?
Monroe County Water Authority, which serves 525,262 people.
Does Penfield tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Monroe County Water Authority 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 Penfield homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 49% of Penfield 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. Monroe County Water Authority'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.