Water Treatment in Newburgh, NY

Newburgh's water treatment question isn't about hardness or taste. It's about lead, and it's answerable at your own tap.

Testing your own water, not the city's

The city's annual water quality report tells you about the water leaving the plant. It can't tell you what the water picks up in the line under your street or the solder in your wall. A first-draw sample (water that has sat in the pipe overnight), is the one that tells you what you're actually drinking.

Filters that are certified, and ones that aren't

For lead, look for a filter independently certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction. A pitcher or an under-sink unit both work if they carry that certification. What doesn't work is a generic carbon filter with no certification, which will improve taste and do nothing measurable for lead.

What's different about homes in Newburgh

• Newburgh's city water system has about 6,710 service lines, of which 904 have been identified and 313 are lead, according to state records.
• The city has run a lead service line replacement program in recent years, and many homeowners have received notices about line materials.
• Newburgh's housing stock is old (much of it predates 1950) with historic brick buildings along Broadway and Liberty Street.
• The city sits on a steep bluff above the Hudson, so pressure and drainage differ sharply between the hilltop and the waterfront.
• Surrounding areas like Balmville and the Town of Newburgh blend municipal water with private wells and septic.
• Frost depth in Orange County runs roughly 42 to 48 inches, so buried lines are set deep and winter breaks are real.

Areas we cover: Broadway Liberty Street Downtown Newburgh East End Washington Heights Ferry Crossing Hudson Point Liberty Square Balmville Town of Newburgh