Water Supply

Tips, Testing and Information

Is Your Well Water Safe to Drink?

The only way to tell if your drinking water is safe is by having it tested at a certified laboratory. Harmful bacteria, parasites, and viruses are invisible to the naked eye, so water which looks and tastes good may not necessarily be safe to drink or water that appears questionable may indeed be absolutely safe to drink. Microbes can exist in surface and groundwater supplies, and can cause immediate sickness in humans if not properly treated. Certain chemical contaminants that are sometimes found in a water source can cause long term health problems that take years to develop. Regular water testing will identify unsafe water and ensure that the treatment system is treating the water to a satisfactory level.

What Tests should I Have Done?

Useful tests are available to help determine the health and safety of a water supply, and the performance of a water treatment system. The Orange County Dept of Environmental Health can assist in selecting tests important for assessing your drinking water.

To obtain a list of New York State approved labs in Orange County, NY contact the OC Dept of Health at 845-291-6664.

NYS recently announced a new FREE LEAD TESTING pilot program. Residents in NY State can have their water tested for lead for FREE while funding is available. Residents need to fill out a sort form and email it to the Bureau of Water Supply Protection. They will mail you a kit, instructions, and return postage to a particating lab.

Orange County Dept of Health, Environmental Division, when necessary, issues Boil Water Advisories for municipal and community water supplies. View which communities may have been issued boil water advisories. We also recommend visiting their website for other public health announcements and news. A new website offers information on local water quality: Members of the public looking to find out about their municipal and ground water quality have a new centralized resource to use. The New York Public Interest Research Group, is a non-partisan, nonprofit, research and public education organization, recently unveiled a new database that's available to the public. What's In My Water?

For additional information about drinking water and boiling water advisories, visit the

Visit the New York State Health Department website.

Public Water Supply

The OCWA currently does not supply water to any residents in Orange County, NY and has no authority over municipal or private water supply systems. If you looking to obtain a water bill, make a payment, have a issue, emergency or just need more information about your water, contact your town/village/city in which your home or business resides. View the PDF below for contact information.

If you are unsure who supplies water to an address, use the online Parcel Data Search to look up the address. Once a parcel is selected, the Municipality's name will appear on the top center of the page. If you scroll down, it will show special districts like fire, sewer, water and more.