Tap Water Results

Locust Valley Water District water quality

Oyster Bay, NY · serves 7,500 people (2,465 connections) · Groundwater · Public/private · EPA ID NY2902833

Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it

Summary

PFAS above the 2024 federal limits. Systems have until 2029 to meet the PFAS limits.

Is it an emergency? No: PFAS limits are about years of exposure, not a glass of water, and nothing in EPA's data calls for you to stop drinking the water today. If your utility ever issues a boil-water or do-not-drink notice, follow it.

PFAS
Above limitPFNA, the PFAS Hazard Index above the federal limit in EPA's 2023–2025 testing (PFNA 22.1 ppt vs a limit of 10 ppt, where ppt = parts per trillion).
Lead
Below action level0 ppb (parts per billion) at the 90th percentile: 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it. Action level 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in Nov 2027. Monitoring period ending Dec 2023. Your home's pipes can make yours higher.
Violations
None health-basedNo health-based violations since 2016.
What you can do
  • Pregnant, or mixing baby formula with tap water? Babies drink more water for their size, so PFAS exposure matters more for them. Consider bottled water or a filter certified for PFAS for formula, and ask your doctor. Health effects.
  • To lower your PFAS exposure now, a home filter certified for PFAS reduction works (reverse osmosis, or activated carbon certified to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58). Filters for these results.
  • Built before 1986, or not sure what your service line is made of? Check your service line and test your tap. Utility data can't show your pipes.
  • Tested your own tap? Compare your result with these numbers. Moving? Compare this system with another.
  • Read Locust Valley Water District's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report). It lists every regulated contaminant tested and is usually on the utility's website or mailed with your bill, and you can also request it at (516) 671-1783. EPA: how to find it.

PFAS (“forever chemicals”)

EPA UCMR 5: 5 entry points tested Apr 2024 to Oct 2024. "Average" is the highest entry-point average (non-detects counted as zero), the way EPA compares UCMR 5 results to the limits. ppt = parts per trillion. These results do not determine compliance.

ContaminantHighest averageHighest resultLimitStatus
PFOA
Not detected
Limit 4 ppt
––4 pptNot detected
PFOS
Not detected
Limit 4 ppt
––4 pptNot detected
PFHxS
Detected, below limit
Limit 10 ppt
2.25 ppt
22% of the limit
4.5 ppt10 pptDetected, below limit
PFNA
Above limit
Limit 10 ppt
22.1 ppt
2.21× the limit
29.6 ppt10 pptAbove limit
HFPO-DA (GenX)
Not detected
Limit 10 ppt
––10 pptNot detected
Hazard Index (a combined score for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and PFBS, where above 1 is over the limit)
Above limit
Limit 1
2.443.411Above limit
PFBS
Not detected
Guideline 2,000 ppt
––2,000 ppt guidelineNot detected
PFBA
Not detected
Guideline 6,000 ppt
––6,000 ppt guidelineNot detected
PFHxA
Not detected
Guideline 3,000 ppt
––3,000 ppt guidelineNot detected

New York has its own PFAS limits. PFOA 10 ppt (this system's highest average: not detected), PFOS 10 ppt (this system's highest average: not detected). State compliance is judged on the state's own sampling, so ask the utility or the state program whether it meets them.

For context: the PFNA average is higher than at 99% of the New York systems EPA tested.

29 PFAS tested, 2 detected at least once. "Not detected" means below EPA's reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt depending on the chemical), not proven zero. PFAS not listed were not detected. The limits for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and the Hazard Index were proposed for rescission in May 2026. That proposal is not final. Systems have until 2029 to meet the limits.

Lithium

Not detected in 10 samples (reporting limit 9 ppb). About lithium.

Lead and copper

Latest 90th percentile: 0 ppb lead (Jan 2021 – Dec 2023). Below action level

Highest since 2016: 1 ppb (Dec 2017).

Monitoring periodLead (90th pct.)
Jan 2021 – Dec 20230 ppb
Jan 2018 – Dec 20200 ppb
Jan 2015 – Dec 20171 ppb
Earlier results (6)
Jan 2012 – Dec 20141.4 ppb
Jan 2009 – Dec 20111.16 ppb
Jan 2006 – Dec 20082.27 ppb
Jan 2003 – Dec 20051.08 ppb
Jan 2000 – Dec 20022.7 ppb
Jul 1992 – Dec 19923.1 ppb

Lead comes from pipes and fixtures, not the source water, so it varies home to home. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 sampled homes were at or below it. More on lead.

Violations

0
Health-based since 2016
0
Monitoring/reporting since 2016
0
Health-based unresolved now
2
Total ever recorded, incl. paperwork

Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded a limit or a required treatment step was missed. Monitoring and reporting violations mean required tests or reports were late or missing, so the water's quality during that time is unknown. The total includes every violation in EPA's records, most of them paperwork.

Earlier EPA testing (2013–2020)

ContaminantHighestGuidelineDetectedTested
1,4-Dioxane0.9 ppb0.35 ppb6 of 10UCMR 3 (2014)
Strontium0.1 ppm1.5 ppm12 of 12UCMR 3 (2014)
Chlorate95 ppb210 ppb8 of 12UCMR 3 (2014)
Manganese4.9 ppb300 ppb5 of 12UCMR 3 (2014)
Chromium-61.79 ppb–11 of 12UCMR 3 (2014)

Where it serves

Oyster Bay, Mill Neck

ZIP codes the system reported serving: 11542, 11560, 11765, 11771

Nearby utilities

Questions

Is Locust Valley Water District water safe to drink?

Locust Valley Water District has no health-based violations since 2016. EPA testing found PFAS above the 2024 federal limits, which systems must meet by 2029. Federal data can't tell you about your own pipes: lead comes from service lines and plumbing, so test your tap if your home was built before 1986. For the official word, read the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report.

Does Locust Valley Water District water have PFAS?

Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing of Locust Valley Water District found 2 PFAS at least once. The highest entry-point averages were above the federal limit for PFNA: PFNA 22.1 ppt (limit 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt for the others).

What is the lead level in Locust Valley Water District water?

The most recent 90th-percentile lead result for Locust Valley Water District is 0 ppb, for the period ending Dec 2023. The federal action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in November 2027. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below this number. Individual homes can be higher.

Check these numbers yourself

Every figure on this page comes from public EPA records. You don't have to take our word for it:

Found something that doesn't match? Tell us and we'll check it against EPA's records. How we check our data.

Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.