Public water system · NY2202346
ActiveWatertown City
At a glance
Watertown City (PWSID NY2202346) is an active community water system in Jefferson County, New York. It reports serving 27,861 people through 8,000 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 12 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
27,861
Service connections
8,000
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Watertown City compare with other water systems in Jefferson County?
By EPA's size categories, Watertown City is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Jefferson County has 157 active public water systems, and Watertown City is the 2nd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 33 times the county average of 832 people per system, and accounts for 21% of the 130,600 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 Watertown City is about 4.2 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 Watertown City?
EPA lists Watertown City as owned by a local government. 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. 46 of the 157 active systems in Jefferson County (29%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Watertown City have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 12 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2025. The violations listed here began between April 2017 and December 2025. By type: 11 contaminant level above the legal limit and 1 required treatment not met. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) (7 of them). EPA lists 6 as resolved and 6 as archived. 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. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-01 | Required treatment not metMonthly Turbidity Exceed (Enhanced SWTR) · code 44 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0300 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2022-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
| 2021-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
| 2020-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2020-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2020-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2018-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2017-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2017-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | Yes | Archived |
| 2017-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | Yes | Archived |
| 2017-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
| 2017-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
The 12 most recent 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.
Watertown City: frequently asked questions
Who runs Watertown City?
Watertown City (PWSID NY2202346) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the NY state drinking water program.
How many people does Watertown City serve?
Watertown City reports serving 27,861 people through 8,000 service connections in Jefferson County, New York.
Where does Watertown City 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 Watertown City have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 12 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2025. 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 Watertown City'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. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 12 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the NY state drinking water program.
Where can I find Watertown City's water quality report?
As a community water system, Watertown City 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 Jefferson County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Drum | Jefferson | 34,000 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Leray Town Wd 1, 2, 4 | Jefferson | 7,140 | Community | Groundwater |
| Carthage Village | Jefferson | 3,600 | Community | Surface water |
| Cape Vincent Town Wd 1 & 5 | Jefferson | 2,600 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Sackets Harbor Village | Jefferson | 2,200 | Community | Surface water |
| Clayton Village | Jefferson | 2,100 | Community | 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, “Watertown City, PWSID NY2202346, New York”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/new-york/watertown-city-ny2202346 (data as of October 1, 2026).