Erie County tap water: hardness, PFAS and lead

Erie County, New York has about 950,602 residents (Census 2024 estimate) and 44 community water systems in EPA records. The largest local system is Ecwa Direct, serving about 313,380 people from surface water.

✓ 0 of 6 largest systems with health-based violationsPFAS detected at 0 of 3 sampled systemsHardness: test your water

Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.

How hard is Erie County water?

Ecwa Direct No data: see your utility report · No data

No reliable figure. Test your water.

Erie County Water Authority treats Lake Erie and Niagara River water (2025 Annual Water Quality Report). Local stream and well samples don't reflect this water, so we don't show a county estimate. Check the utility's annual water quality report or test your water.

Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.

At this hardness most homes don't need a softener. Confirm with a test strip if you see scale.

Largest water systems in Erie County

The 6 biggest of 44 community water systems on EPA records for this county. Service areas don't follow county lines; your water bill names your provider.

Ecwa Direct

NY1400443 · serves about 313,380 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action level✓ No PFAS detected

Lead 90th percentile: 6 ppb (period starting 2025-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

Buffalo Water Authority

NY1400422 · serves about 276,000 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action level✓ No PFAS detected

Lead 90th percentile: 3 ppb (period starting 2026-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

Ecwa Amherst

NY1400399 · serves about 92,697 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action levelPFAS: not sampled

Lead 90th percentile: 9.8 ppb (period starting 2020-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

Tonawanda, Town Water Dept.

NY1404556 · serves about 72,571 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action level✓ No PFAS detected

Lead 90th percentile: 2.1 ppb (period starting 2022-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

Ecwa Lancaster

NY1400421 · serves about 29,018 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action levelPFAS: not sampled

Lead 90th percentile: 9.8 ppb (period starting 2020-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

Ecwa Orchard Park

NY1421762 · serves about 24,582 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action levelPFAS: not sampled

Lead 90th percentile: 9.8 ppb (period starting 2020-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.

A PFAS detection is not a violation. Federal limits (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS) apply to running annual averages, with compliance required by 2029. In May 2026 EPA proposed extending the PFOA/PFOS deadline to 2031 and removing other PFAS limits; not final as of 2026-10-21.

Test your own tap

These are public records for whole systems. Your home's pipes, fixtures and any private well can change what you drink. A certified lab test or a hardness test strip gives you your own numbers. Then use our PFAS and lead filter selector to see which certifications to look for.

Common questions about Erie County water

Is tap water in Erie County safe to drink?

None of the 6 largest systems here have a health-based violation in EPA records since October 2021. Ecwa Direct's most recent lead 90th percentile was 6 ppb (2025), below the 15 ppb action level. Public records can't guarantee what comes out of your tap, especially with older plumbing, so a home test is the surest check.

How hard is the water in Erie County?

We don't have a reliable hardness figure for Ecwa Direct, so test your water or check its annual water quality report.

Is there PFAS in Erie County water?

None of the 3 sampled systems listed here detected PFAS above EPA's reporting levels in UCMR 5 testing.

Which water system serves my address in Erie County?

Most homes are served by Ecwa Direct or one of the other systems listed on this page, but service areas don't follow county lines. Your water bill names your provider, and its annual Consumer Confidence Report has the full test results.

More New York counties

Sources for this page

Data as of October 21, 2026. Figures are copied from public records and combined with our own calculations; they can be out of date or wrong. Tapped Out isn't affiliated with any utility or the EPA. Written and reviewed by the Tapped Out team. How we calculate · All sources.