Public water system · NY3304336
ActiveOcwa
At a glance
Ocwa (PWSID NY3304336) is an active community water system in Onondaga County, New York. It reports serving 350,000 people through 100,948 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as under public/private ownership. EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2010.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
350,000
Service connections
100,948
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Ocwa compare with other water systems in Onondaga County?
By EPA's size categories, Ocwa is a very large system (more than 100,000 people). Onondaga County has 89 active public water systems, and Ocwa is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 51 times the county average of 6,921 people per system, and accounts for 57% of the 615,939 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across New York, the 8,167 active systems average 2,374 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Ocwa is about 52 times that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. New York has 2,281 active community water systems, 28% of the state's 8,167 active systems. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 296 New York systems (3.6%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Ocwa?
EPA lists Ocwa as under public/private ownership. The NY state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 3 of the 89 active systems in Onondaga County (3.4%) are also under public/private ownership.
Does Ocwa have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2010. The violations listed here began between July 1992 and December 2010. By type: 2 required treatment not met and 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Lead and Copper Rule (2 of them). EPA lists 3 as resolved. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-12-01 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique (SWTR and GWR) · code 41 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1995-01-01 | Required treatment not metOCCT/SOWT Treatment Installation/Demonstration · code 58 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1992-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingInitial Tap Sampling for Pb and Cu · code 51 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
All 3 violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Ocwa: frequently asked questions
Who runs Ocwa?
Ocwa (PWSID NY3304336) is a community water system under public/private ownership. It is regulated by the NY state drinking water program.
How many people does Ocwa serve?
Ocwa reports serving 350,000 people through 100,948 service connections in Onondaga County, New York.
Where does Ocwa get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as surface water. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs.
Does Ocwa have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2010. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Ocwa's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2010. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the NY state drinking water program.
Where can I find Ocwa's water quality report?
As a community water system, Ocwa must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Onondaga County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse City | Onondaga | 192,000 | Community | Surface water |
| Dewitt Wds - South | Onondaga | 16,200 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Clay Wds | Onondaga | 16,000 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Dewitt Wds - North | Onondaga | 13,600 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Baldwinsville Village | Onondaga | 9,200 | Community | Groundwater |
| Skaneateles Wds | Onondaga | 3,500 | Community | Purchased surface water |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Ocwa, PWSID NY3304336, New York”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/new-york/ocwa-ny3304336 (data as of October 1, 2026).