Is Albany, NY Tap Water Safe to Drink?
Albany tap water is legally compliant, but one contaminant exceeds health guidelines. Specifically: lead at 16.1 ppb (above the EPA action level of 15 ppb). A point-of-use filter is recommended for drinking and cooking water.
Hardness Scale: Where Albany Falls
0Slightly
60Moderate
120Hard
180Very Hard
250Extreme
400+
How Albany Compares
Albany's water is 72% softer than the national average of 138 PPM - ranking in the bottom 77% for hardness nationwide. Most homes here do not need a softener. Within New York, it ranks #23 of 37 cities (37% below the state average of 62 PPM). Among cities (50k-100k), Albany ranks #215 of 258 for hardness.
What Albany's Water Means for Your Home
Hardness: 39 PPM - Low Concern
Albany's water is slightly hard at 39 PPM. Most households won't notice any issues at this level. Scale buildup is minimal, and a water softener would be overkill. Albany is softer than 76% of US cities. If you're thinking about water treatment, contaminant filtration is where to focus your money, not softening.
Contaminants & Safety
Lead is the main concern here. At 16.1 ppb, Albany's average is well above the health guideline of zero — there is no safe level of lead, especially for children. Lead typically enters your water from old pipes, not the source itself. Quick fix: run cold water for 30 seconds before drinking. Better fix: a certified lead-reduction filter (NSF/ANSI Standard 53) at your kitchen faucet. If your home was built before 1986, testing is strongly recommended.
What's in the Treatment Process
Albany's surface water supply requires heavy chlorination to stay safe — but that creates a tradeoff. The treatment process generates disinfection byproducts: TTHMs at 46.7 ppb (58% of the legal limit, but 312x the EWG guideline) and HAA5 at 17.8 ppb (30% of the legal limit, but 178x the EWG guideline). These are within legal limits, but the EWG sets much tighter thresholds based on cancer-risk research. A whole-house activated carbon filter reduces both chlorine and byproducts.
Chromium-6 was detected at 0.0717 ppb, which is 3.6x the EWG health guideline. There's no separate federal limit for chromium-6, only total chromium. A reverse osmosis system is the most effective removal method. All measurements are within federal legal limits. The EWG guidelines represent a more conservative, health-based standard.
| Contaminant | Detected | Health Guideline | Legal Limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardness (as CaCO₃) | 39 PPM | < 60 PPM | No federal limit | ✓ OK |
| Total Dissolved Solids | 71 PPM | < 300 PPM | 500 PPM | ✓ OK |
| PFAS (total) | 0 ppt | — | No total limit | ✓ ND |
| ↳ PFOA | 0 ppt | 0 ppt | 4 ppt (2024) | ✓ OK |
| ↳ PFOS | 0 ppt | 0 ppt | 4 ppt (2024) | ✓ OK |
| Lead | 16.1 ppb | 0 ppb (no safe level) | 15 ppb (10 ppb in 2027) | ⚠ Exceeds |
| Chlorine / Chloramine | 1.1 mg/L | Taste threshold ~1.0 | 4.0 mg/L | ✓ Normal |
| Nitrate | 0.0527 mg/L | 5 mg/L | 10 mg/L | ✓ OK |
Recommended Filter for Albany
Lead at 16.1 ppb exceeds the 15 ppb action level. A certified filter reduces these contaminants effectively.
Quick Fix for Chlorine: Shower Filter
At 1.1 mg/L chlorine, many Albany residents notice dry skin, brittle hair, and that "pool smell" in the shower. A shower filter installs in 5 minutes, no tools needed.
How to Test Your Water in Albany
Lead enters water from your home's plumbing, not the treatment plant — so Albany's city-wide average of 16.1 ppb may not match your tap. Testing your specific faucet is the only way to know. Run cold water for 30 seconds before collecting a sample.
Free option: Request Albany Water Board's annual Consumer Confidence Report for official city-level data.
📊 Already Tested Your Water?
City averages miss neighborhood-level variation. Share your results to help your neighbors get better data.
We review every submission before publishing. Your ZIP is shown; your identity is not.
About Albany's Water Supply
Water Utility: Albany Water Board
Water Source: Alcove Reservoir (Surface Water)
Population Served: 98,000
Hardness: 39 PPM (2.3 grains per gallon)
Albany's drinking water comes from surface sources — Alcove Reservoir. Surface water requires more extensive treatment than groundwater, including coagulation, filtration, and disinfection. This heavier chlorination is why disinfection byproducts tend to be higher in surface-supplied systems. On the upside, surface sources often deliver softer water than deep aquifers. The system serves 98,000 residents.
Water quality can vary by neighborhood and season. For your exact numbers, request Albany Water Board's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) or test your own tap.
ZIP Codes Covered by This Report
This water quality data applies to all areas served by Albany Water Board in Albany, NY, including ZIP codes:
12007, 12015, 12033, 12041, 12042, 12045, 12046, 12050, 12051, 12054, 12058, 12061, 12063, 12067, 12077, 12083, 12087, 12106, 12115, 12120, 12123, 12124, 12130, 12132, 12143, 12144, 12156, 12158, 12161, 12172, 12173, 12174, 12176, 12184, 12192, 12193, 12201, 12202, 12203, 12204, 12205, 12206, 12207, 12208, 12209, 12210, 12211, 12212, 12214, 12220, 12222, 12223, 12224, 12225, 12226, 12227, 12228, 12229, 12230, 12231, 12232, 12233, 12234, 12235, 12236, 12237, 12238, 12239, 12240, 12241, 12242, 12243, 12244, 12245, 12246, 12247, 12248, 12249, 12250, 12252, 12255, 12256, 12257, 12260, 12261, 12288, 12405, 12407, 12413, 12414, 12418, 12421, 12422, 12423, 12424, 12431, 12439, 12442, 12444, 12451, 12452, 12454, 12460, 12468, 12470, 12473, 12482, 12496, 12534
If your ZIP code is listed above, this report covers your water supply. Water quality may vary slightly by neighborhood.
Compare Albany to Other New York Cities
Frequently Asked Questions About Albany Water
Is Albany tap water safe to drink?
Where does Albany's water come from?
Do I need a water softener in Albany?
What water filter is best for Albany?
Is Albany water safe for babies and infants?
What are disinfection byproducts in Albany's water?
Is chromium-6 in Albany's water?
Why does Albany water taste like chlorine?
Data sources: Lead and copper data from EPA Safe Drinking Water Act LCR reporting. Contaminant data from utility-reported testing results. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025). Hardness from USGS and municipal reports. Data reflects system-level testing results and may not match your specific tap due to neighborhood plumbing, season, or recent utility changes. For your utility's latest results, request their Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Our methodology. Last updated: 2026-02-24.
What Albany Homeowners Actually Buy
Prioritized for contaminant reduction for homes with 39 PPM water.
Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission. Selection based on Albany's water data.