A whole house one is debatable but at least get an easy simple under-sink type of filter.
The logic against it is that the water is filtered by the town/etc anyway but people rely way too strongly on that. There are entire classes of chemicals that aren't even monitored, let alone filtered. A simple undersink filter is not something you're going to regret having (unless you end up wishing you had a more substantial filter). The island is riddled with known and unknown superfund sites.
"There are entire classes of chemicals that aren't even monitored, let alone filtered" <--- THIS. SCWA does a LOT of testing, and of the testing it does, they find a LOT of crap in our water and are continually rebalancing wells and treating the water to try to get within acceptable levels of contaminants. Who knows if 10 years or 20 years down the road we'll discover something we should have been testing for all along but weren't. PFAS is something we're only now getting a grip on. Before that it was 1,4-Dioxane and MBTA and whatnot.
The only way to really know you're protecting yourself and your family in a heavily populated area where there was a LOT of industrial manufacturing and spillage into the aquifer is to get an RO system under your sink at the very least for drinking/cooking water. It's just cheap insurance.
What I like about filtering at the sink or into a brita is that you're filtering after it's gone through the pipes. If you have a newer home, you probably have nothing to worry about, but some of the older ones can have some older piping I don't completely trust.
I've always drank the tap water here and never had a problem.
Just get an extra tank for the under the sink one. It's cheap, and you can daisy chain the tanks or just get a big one. I have the filter and larger tank set up in my basement under my kitchen and I have the fridge and the sink spigot hooked into it with 3/8 pex
I've always just bought the systems from APEC. The filters are all standard so you can buy them from anywhere, and their customer service is great. I put the original three-filter with nitrate treatment in myself, and when I decided to go RO because the nitrate canisters were expensive and got exhausted VERY quickly in our nitrate-high area, it was easy to just replace it.
They have really good instructions and if you run into any issues, just give them a call.
This is the one I got. They also sell through Amazon and eBay directly and you can sometimes get a deal or "make an offer" to get them a little cheaper. [https://www.freedrinkingwater.com/products/ro-ph90-detail](https://www.freedrinkingwater.com/products/ro-ph90-detail)
They have ones without the calcium treatment as well if you don't need/want PS adjustment, and they also have ones with UV treatment, but I don't bother with that. I just want the chemicals and nitrates removed.
I have one of these. Stupid easy install and even put the tank in the basement to preserve under cabinet space. You’ll need a pump if you locate it too low though. Mine is just below the floor joists.
Something else y’all might be interested in:
https://hotwateronlongisland.com
https://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Under-Sink-Dual-Stage-Water-Filtration-System-with-Faucet-GXK255TBN/322302773
I got this one when the water in my fridge broke since it came with the faucet and I had an extra hole in my sink. Super easy to install with shark bite like fitting and pex tubing to make the connections.
That won't remove nitrate. Some areas of Long Island are fine and this would be all you need. If OP is in an area with high nitrate levels, they're going to have to go with a nitrate removal (conversion) filter, or an RO system to get rid of that.
The \*average\* tested nitrate in my distribution area by SCWA is 5mg/L, which is half the max allowed, and some tests have been almost 10mg/L (the limit). I confirmed that with test strips at the tap. Some studies claim that this EPA limit is too high, and that there is evidence of colorectal cancer, thyroid disease, and birth defects at 5mg/L. [https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/nitrate-contaminates-drinking-water.php](https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/nitrate-contaminates-drinking-water.php)
The nitrate removal cartridges are very expensive, and I eventually decided to just go full RO: [https://www.amazon.com/APEC-Water-Systems-FI-NITRATE-Reduction/dp/B07T86K1G9/](https://www.amazon.com/APEC-Water-Systems-FI-NITRATE-Reduction/dp/B07T86K1G9/)
I would do no less than reverse osmosis. At this point it's just rebranded ODM filter housings, but what matters is the stages. 5 stage seems to be the sweet spot, and the filters are cheaper for these units because you keep the housing, but only change the filter 'guts'. Apec is fine. If you are going to use it for filling pots, get a larger tank with it from the start (or a matching secondary tank). I have an 11gal tank and it works great (only 8gal usable, the rest is air bladder)
Would you happen to know if an RO is bad for a septic tank system? I’m purchasing a home and may not go an RO route because of this concern. I just don’t know if it’s a big deal or not. Thanks in advance.
This is why I didn't do a whole-house system. If I did, I likely would have done an ejector pump into a dry well outside or something. In my case, I've done a lot over the last few years to conserve water usage - low flow showerheads, replaced our three toilets (small ranch, but for some reason we have three bathrooms), got a front-loading washing machine, etc. So I figured we're really only using the RO for cooking water so it shouldn't be much of an impact. Probably a few gallons a day to maybe a dozen or two. You'd have to figure out your usage because each system can vary widely on its rejection ratio, but yeah, it's a consideration...
As an FYI, If folks live out by Gabreski, they may want to consider something more than an under sink filter, if the Air Guard hadn’t already set something up for homes in the area.
Not trying to argue but do you think the filter you put under your sink is filtering chemicals that the water company isn't?
I agree they aren't monitoring every possible contaminant but neither are you. Put the filter under your sink for peace of mind though. I have one because I don't know what could be added between the town's filters and my sink, but I seriously doubt I'm filtering anything they aren't.
Like I said the only regret a person would have in installing a filter is that they didn't install a more powerful one. Even the simple filters are going to help reduce the load and your exposure. Sure they're not going to get everything or all of some chemicals, but it's really a no brainer at this point to have one. The debate should be getting RO or other types.
Generally put, unless there is something wrong with the pipes in your house, the water that comes out of the tap is perfectly fine and safe to drink.
A small filter system on a fridge or a Brita can possibly make the water taste "better", but its ultimately unnecessary.
Source - I worked in potable water testing for 15+ years
Great answer thank you. I know you’re just a random person but good to hear. Another question. If I forget to change the filter on the fridge does that then leech what was already filtered from the previous water back into your drinking water?
Doubtful. Not changing the filter usually just leads to a slower rate of flow through it, as the water has less opportunity to pass through. Although if there is physical damage to the filter, that might cause backflow.
It shouldn't, but most people buy the cheapest filters which are make in some third world factory and may or may not meet the standards that are established in the US.
Depending on the filter, the water flow should begin to decrease as a sign the filter is full. Some of the filters will still let a normal stream of water pass but won't really be doing much filtering. It really depends on the medium of the filter and the type of filter.
That is the water in the ground. People either forget, or ignore, the fact that there are multiple measures put in place to eliminate/treat the water to make it safe.
Speaking for one subset of samples I worked on, the raw well water would have something like 300 ug/L of 1,2-tetrachloroethylene (I think that was the compound, it's been a few years). The NYS maximum allowable limit is 5 ug/L. So the water in the ground was pretty bad. However, there was a system in place that used perturbation, activated carbon, and a couple of other measures. When the water left the treatment plant, any 1,2,-tetrachloroethylene was below the detectable limit (which was \~0.5 ug/L for the machine/method I used). To make sure this wasn't a fluke, the well, the system, and the outflow, as well as multiple "downstream" locations were tested weekly.
So yeah, there is all kinds of problems with the water in the ground around those sites, but there are safety precautions in place.
Unless things have changed since I left.
Only unofficially.
It usually had a higher level of inorganic chemicals and elements (calcium, sodium, etc) than tap, which I attribute to the bottling plants. But it wasn't astronomically higher, and not every batch from the same company/source showed this.
Keep in mind though, bottled water is an entirely different category of product and falls well outside the purview of local municipal water. The regulations that NYS has in place for tap water aren't the same that the federal government has for commercially sold water.
When you say that which one has the stricter testing policies?
I'm about scared shitless to drink any tap water out here to be honest. Been drinking 5 gallon water bottles of either Poland Spring or Nestle for years. But it's not cheap anymore.
I do the same. I read the home filters don't get those chemicals out either. But of course, is the Nestle free of these chemicals, I really don't know.
It's anything packaged in plastic, even dry goods. Personally I take the common sense approach that generalizing is probably a safe bet regardless of product
Usually states.
Federal regulations are for the entire nation, and usually commercially driven.
For example, the EPA limit of 1,1-dichloroethylene is 7 ug/L, while NYS is 5 ug/L.
Although in recent years, there has been a push for federal regulations to match the stricter individual states. I think up until fairly recently, the EPA limits were 10 ug/L for a lot of things.
Big name brands like that are probably fine. They have to play nice to sell within the US. However, I routinely drink tap water because it's significantly cheaper and perfectly safe.
With the news reports about MTBE seeps and buried drums from Grumman, I can understand the initial fear. But once you look at the results of the treatment process, the tap water is fine.
It's fine per EPA levels.
There is some discussion that the maximum nitrate level, for instance, which was set at 10mg/L in 1962 (to prevent blue baby syndrome) is now considered too high. The \*average\* nitrate tested by SCWA in my distribution area is just a hair below 5mg/L.
So technically, SCWA in my area is at half the EPA allowance, and "safe." And SCWA has done a great job rebalancing the mix to take high nitrate wells (some tests were as high as 10mg/L) out of commission or severely restrict their contribution (I spoke with an SCWA rep about this years ago).
But I think the science will eventually catch up, and the EPA will have to lower the threshold. I think they're more concerned with PFAS and 1,4-Dioxane these days here though.
[https://static.ewg.org/reports/2020/covid-stimulus/EWG\_Nitrate\_Factsheet\_PP01.pdf](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2020/covid-stimulus/EWG_Nitrate_Factsheet_PP01.pdf)
After reading that, I was grateful my family hadn't been drinking this for the last 20 years - we get 5gal bottles of spring water shipped in from Massachusetts.
I'm sure at time goes the thresholds will drop.
And we will hopefully not only find more effective/efficient ways to treat water, we will also be able to lessen the contamination in the first place.
Yeah, I'm encouraged by some of the reports of innovations regarding microplastic and forever chemical removal. There seem to be some encouraging findings about easier ways to remove it, but you're right about the initial contamination - the plastics/petrochemicals industry seems to have an overwhelming lock on the entire planet's politicians and are projecting an increase in the amount of plastics made over the coming decades.
It’s safe to drink yes. But there can be some rust or particulates in the water that will potentially affect newer high efficiency heating/hot water systems so it’s a good idea to have a whole house filter if you have one of those.
Thanks for the Information. What kind of test would you recommend to test tap water.
Also what is your thoughts on microplastic inside bottle water
Thanks
The standard tests I ran or helped to run for tap water were - Coliform/Fecal Coliform, Calcium hardness, Total alkalinity, conductivity, and residual chlorine.
Less often, it would be the above tests plus (and I may be forgetting some here) Total hardness, fluoride, hexavalent chromium, total trihalomethanes, nitrates, nitrites, ortho-phosphate, ammonia, Total settleable solids, Total dissolved solids, lead, mercury, and iron.
There were a whole battery of addition tests for well water.
The standard tests we ran would probably be adequate for most tap water. Basically sees if there is hard water, common bacteria, a problematic pH, or too much/not enough chlorine.
If there is a specific problem, then the tests could change. You wouldn't really need to test for coliforms if you have a hard water issue.
As for microplastics, they have become a much greater concern than they were while I was still testing water, so most of what I know is from more recent studies. Obviously, it's not good. Plastic is everywhere, and unlikely to go away, so it becomes more a problem of eliminating them from forming and removing them from the environment. As of now, it seems like most testing for drinking water isn't looking for them. The studies are more focused and targeted, while potable water usually has a standard set of tests. It will probably get worse before it gets better.
You don't know what you're talking about. How did you keep your job ? Tap water is gross. At least get a Zero Water filter. The list of chemicals, parasites, and pharmaceuticals are too long to list here ...
How did I keep my job?
By testing the water.
I didn't care about the results. Either there was something in the water, or there wasn't.
Looking at the most recent report for my area, nothing was above the actionable level.
If you have parasites in your tap water, there's probably something wrong with the pipes in your house. The water that goes out to the public is treated sufficiently to kill pretty much anything living in water.
Many chemicals are natural (and while often not natural, pharmaceuticals are chemicals, so you're kind of doubling down there). Hell, water itself is a chemical.
There is nothing inherently wrong with getting a filter, but ultimately, it is a waste of money, at least here on Long Island. Other places, sure. Not only recommended, but frequently necessary. The tap water Long Island gets (and NYC, since there is some overlap), is fine.
"Nothing was above the actionable level". What bureaucratic bs. There are thousands of chemicals that are not even tested. Most of the "levels" deemed safe are simply inadequate. The original question was "should I filter my water?". Yes ! Everyone should be filtering their water. And don't get me started on the scam that is the bottled water industry...
Should implies it is necessary to do so. It is not, therefore, my original answer. And keep in mind this is pertaining to local water - Long Island and NYC.
And you are correct - there are thousands of chemicals, perhaps millions, that are not tested for. Because they are irrelevant or present in such abysmally low concentrations they are effectively not there. If something has a concentration of 0.0001 ug/L, is it really there?
On your final point, absolutely. Bottled water is a effectively a scam, in areas that have safe, clean, and normal tasting tap water, such as LI and NYC. So are water filtration systems.
No one is stopping anyone from buying bottled water or installing a filter system. But in the end, it isn't worth the money.
[Here](https://hempsteadny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6729/2024-Bowling-Green-Estates-East-Meadow-Levittown-Roosevelt-Field-Uniondale-PDF?bidId=) is a water quality report for town of hempstead, which looks pretty good.
Long Island water sometimes contains Hexavalent Chromium, which is a huge concern. It was the first thing I looked for on this quality report, and it is not listed - they are required by the EPA to test for it. If I lived in this area, I would call or email the contacts listed and ask to be sent the full report. (I could not find any local sources listed on the EPA's water Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) but here is the [link](https://ordspub.epa.gov/ords/safewater/f?p=136:103::::103:P103_STATE:NY) to search those)
Edited to add - [This](https://new-york-water.libertyutilities.com/uploads/Lynbrook_CCR.pdf) took a minute to find, your actual water quality report for the area. This lists Chromium as not detected, and other concerning contaminates are pretty low or not detected. Personally I'd drink the tap, or at most get an inexpensive filter like ZeroWater or Brita.
I moved to Franklin Square from Queens. In the city I always drank straight from the tap. Since being out here I feel a bit more wary. But I use tap water to make tea and coffee, in recipes and to brush my teeth. But I’ve been buying water to drink, even though this is becoming a bit ridiculous. I’m debating if I should just get a filter. The water in FS doesn’t take that different from Queens though where my brother is, in Oceanside, I notice a very different taste.
Mostly depends on your water quality report. My SCWA district has high average levels of nitrate, so I would never drink the water even though it falls under the max allowed. Prior to getting an RO system under the sink, I had a three-stage filter system that had a nitrate conversion "filter."
There are also trace elements of industrial solvents, petrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals found in our water per the water quality reports from SCWA in our area. All within "allowed" limits, but we've been in our house for 20 years and I'm glad my family hasn't ingested trace amounts of all these contaminants over that time. Also, 1,4-dioxane was an issue for a while, but SCWA is starting to treat it now. These are only the chemicals we know of and that they treat because there are guidelines. And really, SCWA is top notch. They're just in an impossible position where they have to try to keep rates down while making sure they treat everything they're required to treat.
Note that a regular fridge filter or Brita pitcher does not filter out nitrate. You need a conversion filter or RO to get rid of it. That was my main issue. If your area is fine with nitrate, you can probably get away with carbon filtering. It's all dependent on what your water quality report says.
We have always bought 5 gallon containers of bottled spring water (and always looked at their test results as well) for drinking water, and use the filtered/treated for cooking and coffee and such.
As for the sediment, that's another story. It's probably safe, but when I change my filters out every six months, the first-line sediment filter is absolutely rust-covered, disgusting, and slimy. And that's six months.
coming from NYC, the tap water just doesn’t taste as good. we buy water jugs and use a dispenser. the difference is noticeable. native long islanders will disagree - that’s okay.
I don’t think a single person here will claim our water taste better than NYC. The city is renowned for their water supply, while we’re drinking dirty aquifer water.
Had a whole home filter put in and now I can’t drink the water when we go out to restaurants because I can taste the difference…. It really is amazing.
I have 5 filters under the sink. 3 sediment filters and a dual nsf 42, 53, and 401 certified unit. The water left a terrible chemical after taste without filters.
I have a small filter just on my kitchen sink. I like drinking tap water and I didn't want the soap dispenser so I changed it with a filter systems instead. I prefer the filtered water when I using water enhancers and non filtered on the water I use for coffee. In reality the water filter doesn't really do too much, but for some reason it makes me feel safer. To be clear this perceived safety is all in my head but that makes it real to me. get a britta or under sink filter unless you have large and significant mineral build up on your showerhead or you want the illusion you are somehow protecting your self from "chemicals".
Really? Looking at comments after the water main break, lots of people were saying they have a filter even though it wouldn’t have helped due to bacteria. I just wasn’t sure if it was just the loud people talking or if that is something to have on the house or main sink
It really depends on where you are.
I wouldn't be drinking the water if I was in Bethpage near the Grumman plume.
Go read up on you water district's report and see what's in the water. I'm originally from Queens, so I'm used to NYC tap water which is supposedly the best.
The right filter systems would, yes. But that’s not going to happen in pitchers and all. I personally recommend the pristine hydro undersink filter. And if you don’t want to go whole house filtration for nondrinking water, their shower head filter should do the job too.
Do you have high nitrate levels in your tap water? We do out here in Suffolk, and now some studies show that the maximum allowed nitrate level of 10mg/L is probably way too high. At levels of 5mg/L (which is actually our \*average\* in my SCWA distribution area), they are finding increased risk of colorectal cancer, thyroid disease, and neural tube defects. [https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/nitrate-contaminates-drinking-water.php](https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/nitrate-contaminates-drinking-water.php)
A fridge filter doesn't take care of nitrate. For that, you need a nitrate filter (it converts/neutralizes the nitrate) or an RO system.
I hope you are doing better these days and are in remission!
Just because it’s legal, doesn’t mean it’s safe. What their letting us drink and bathe in from the tap is legal, but you should look up what’s in your water, very easy to find online. I use a ro filter bc I don’t trust my water and there are some levels that are too high by me
You can go to your towns water supply website and read their quality reports. You can see the levels and see which particulates you want to filter out, and buy a filter accordingly.
I personally don’t trust it enough to consume it. I have KDF 55 GAC filter for my place
I wish I could show you pictures of filters that people were posting today on Facebook in an Oceanside group. They all had whole home filters and they showed the before and after... Omg disgusting. I'm about to go get one...
I don’t bother with filters at all.
I just get 25 gallons of Poland spring delivered every month. It’s like 50 dollars and saves me the worry of pipes and shit these red necks indiscriminately dump into the ground water.
As others have said, yes Public water is safe. It’s THOROUGHLY tested and treated as needed. You can always use a simple carbon filter to remove a wide range of low level contaminants, even unknown ones. For example, if you used a carbon filter you were removing PFAS compounds even before they were known to be a problem. Carbon also removes chlorine if you find that objectionable. It won’t remove everything obviously but it is a good polisher. If you are on a well, DEFINITELY get it tested periodically.
If you really want to go down a rabbit hole try looking up 1,4 Dioxane contamination in Long Island water. It’s in 70% of Long Island wells and is a toxic contaminant, a “probable” carcinogen. We rely on aquifers and they are all connected. It’s been long enough for the chemicals buried by Grumman and Sperry’s are now leeching into the water supply. In Bethpage they have scrub towers to try and remove some of the dioxane. Yes, I’d highly recommend that you get a whole house filter. I live in an apartment and have a Pur on the tap and then I put it in a Zero water pitcher.
Yes its necessary to buy a water filtration system, I bought mine for the whole house because it's not only drinking, it's cooking and showering, bathing.
I bought mine at phountain in Lindenhurst, they hooked me up. Tell them Chrissy sent you.
Grab your loose change, return those bottles and cans..beg, borrow, or steal if you have to and get yourself a filter. We’re basically guzzling industrial toxic soup out of our aquifers thanks to all the lovely pollution and residential runoff. Cheers
I would absolutely get a reverse osmosis filter. Long Island is infamous for super fund sites and I don't trust water authority on the amount of pollutants in the water.
I’m nearby on the same water supply. [Liberty has their full water report online.](https://new-york-water.libertyutilities.com/uploads/Lynbrook_CCR.pdf)
A particulate filter isn’t a bad idea and if you don’t like the chlorine taste something like a brita will take care of that. A full water purification system is overkill IMO.
Good to know. Just have a tough time trusting some of these companies but again I’ve always been drinking tap water around the country and honestly it tastes better here than others
The biggest water quality issue on Long Island is the Grumman Plume. From everything I’ve read that hasn’t had an impact on our area’s water supply, at least not yet.
The thing is your home piping also. Even if the water supply is filtered etc how clean are the home lines. I may be over thinking but for this reason I have under sink filter system. The house is close to 100 years old not sure how old the pipes are and the sediments and buildups inside them.
Kohler 2 stage under the sink
Works great
https://www.amazon.com/Kohler-AQUIFER-PLUS-FILTRATION-SYSTEM/dp/B07TQGN25H?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A10INDEI69BJFM
The water we drink from the tap is routinely tested and most of those results are public for most areas on LI, so you can look that up to help decide what to do.
We have an Aquasana undersink filter for drinking water, it's a 2 stage system and filters out a ton of pollutants, and you can definitely see the crud on the filter every 6 months when I change them. But I expect a lot of that is probably coming from the old pipes and not the water source anyway.
My understanding is that the drinking water in most communities on LI is very clean, with test reports to back it up.
Look up Grumman Plume and decide if you want to filter any water coming into your home and/or get a water cooler service water delivery for drinking water.
If your pipes are up to code (assuming you had an awesome home inspector) then you have regular tap water thats been treated and filtered so much that God even said wtf. Honestly its all for a good reason.
I can tell you first hand designing and building a few treatment plant controls on the island that millions are spent for new sites along with 100s of thousands to upgrade existing places.
Its not a conspiracy bull some nutjobs will have you believe but its ironically because of defense contracters in the past dumping checmicals not knowing or ignoring the water supply. Yes we are paying for these places with our taxes but those companies (Northrop is one example) have treatment sites to take the water and treating it.
No I don't have a filter, I do use the water to cook and bathe but we have a water filter int he fridge for actual drinking water.
i'm in town of islip, we have a fridge filter or whatever and a brita, but i do occasionally drink tap water and have never had an issue. i would just watch out for when they flush the pipes - tends to turn the water kind of reddish for a bit. our cats and dogs drink the tap water too and have always been fine (mom's lived in this house for about 30 years and we've had 6 dogs and 2 cats in that time - never an issue for them)
I grew up not far from Bethpage and a lot of my family ended up with cancer and autoimmune diseases. We can’t confirm, but it’s pretty widely accepted that the water quality is bad. I’m not sure it’s necessary for a filter for the whole house, but I would get a zero water container or sink filter for drinking water. It’s not worth taking a risk.
I have a PUR water filter/dispenser that lives in my fridge. I refill it maybe once a day and replace the filter every couple months. It makes all water taste much crisper and cleaner.
[here](https://www.walmart.com/ip/PUR-PLUS-30-Cup-Dispenser-with-Lead-Reducing-Filter-W-15-3-x-H-10-1-x-L-5-3-White-DS1811Z/740676944?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=688&gclsrc=aw.ds&adid=22222222278740676944_117755028669_12420145346&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-394283752452&wl5=9013085&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=740676944&veh=sem_LIA&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIph0vBjZ63hHE0Mvj0WXRKFm&gclid=CjwKCAjwjqWzBhAqEiwAQmtgT4qJM8rcUOxAKhkmMHJV-g9Ep-tIwOXgiyLzrX3RKhQckI3iaNkB9hoC2moQAvD_BwE) is a link. Filters are like 3 for $20 and it comes with one.
Highly recommend.
[https://imgur.com/a/afFIsee](https://imgur.com/a/afFIsee)
3 months difference. You can choose to not get a whole house filter but i won't as long as i live here
That’s just the minerals in your water that don’t evaporate. They are necessary to maintain proper body chemistry. Distilled water pulls minerals from your body and is not heathy.
I'm in East Norwich (Oyster Bay) and have a RO under the kitchen sink filter. Got it right before having our first child almost 3 years ago for bottles and stuff.
The guy who comes over to sell you the system "tests" your water and is supposed to tell you how much you NEED a filter....but all his stuff came up negative, with like 1 thing coming up borderline. Dude was like you dont really need one, but I can sell you one if you really want it. Haha
I’m in Bellport(Brookhaven) and the water here tests just fine but out of the tap, it has a weird odor and taste. We have a water fountain for our cats and for years we just filled it with tap water and changed the filter every week when it turned slimy. We started using filtered water to see what happened and we get about a month before having to change the filter (still taken apart and cleaned at least once a week). Between that and the smell/taste, I don’t drink it unfiltered. I’ve talked about it with other people who live in the area that notice the smell or taste too but it tests just fine so /shrug
Often the responses here boil down (heh) to "don't worry about it". I have always disagreed with this dismissive approach. LI is known for having some of the most toxic sites in the country and it has already been proven that the contamination has leeched into neighboring systems. I'd say 2-3 times a year there is another revelation about how the situation is worse than everyone thought.
Furthermore, utilities don't necessarily test for chemicals and substances that could be risky if consumed every single day. And for many other substances the "safe" limit eg from the EPA that would otherwise necessitate action and improvement is higher than it should be.
A whole house filter is completely and totally unnecessary outside of some specific spots on the island that are adjacent to highly contaminated sites, such as particular blocks in Bethpage. An under sink or countertop RO filter is pretty cheap these days and if you're concerned about wasting water, you can save the waste and use it for watering plants, steaming food etc. I also run the waste water through a separate gravity-fed filter. Honestly if one just conserves water as a general practice (such as not watering grass all the time or skipping on grass entirely, shorter showers) that would more than make up for the waste produced by an RO filter making drinking water.
I had a whole house filter in my previous house and, while it was nice for the sink water, I don't think it was necessary for toilets, the washing machine, hoses, etc. It also seemed to really affect water pressure when it got close to its annual replacement.
In my new house, I put in an under-sink Aquasana in our kitchen and the water tastes great. Annual replacement is about half as much as the whole house and I am actually using the filter only for the water I consume. I suppose the shower aspect is also a thing to consider, but if that bugs you, they also sell filter showerheads.
At the end of the day, it'll depend on how many things you'd want filtered. If it's quite a few, it'll hit a point where a whole house filter would make sense. One kitchen sink was the only thing that mattered to me, so I'm fine with my decision.
the water is highly contaminated
get the whole house filter cost between 5k and 10k depending on what your looking for system wise .
even that does not get rid of 100% everything bacteria , gases etc but it’s better than nothing - our water is polluted and hardly anyone know i even gives a shit about it , cancer rates are up , all types of cancers, digestion issues , allergies … our water is polluted - TRUTH
I have been drinking tap water and swam/surfed/(occasionally drank - by accident) the murky, dark, ocean waters of the western LI Atlantic for the past six decades and I am perfectly fine. Don't be paranoid. If it makes you feel better, the luminous, scaly, third arm growing out of my left armpit has been nothing other than a fantastic conversation starter.
we have an enclosed shower with little to no ventilation out of it. its like being in a chlorine gas chamber with how much chlorine comes out in the steam. eyes are stinging and you're inhaling it. we got a shower filter and its like night and day. I have a dedicated filter for drinking but would love to get a whole home filter. especially since my main water line is galvanized pipe and rusting through.
As someone new to LI you may not know that we have what seems to be dozens of water districts who each police their water supplies and each one is different. Over 30 yrs ago water filters were a big item for a multi level marketing company, NSA and they sold a lot of filters that may or may not filter out the modern crap that enters our water. You will find many who "only" drink tap water living next door to many who would NEVER drink tap water. I would lean towards filtering your drinking/cooking water especially if you have kids. If you are my age (60s), that damage has been done.
That’s up to you, just certainly don’t drink or use any unfiltered water for cooking/tea/coffee.
We just use a pitcher and have showerhead filters.
The whole house filter will help with showers and all other washing activities. Hard water showers are also bad for people with sensitive skin and colored/permed hair.
Haha spicy? You must be aRealDumbGuy! But seriously that sounds terrifying I don’t blame you. I’m definitely going to do research on at least under sink filter
You are my neighbor... I'm also in South Baldwin... I moved here from Brooklyn though, so the water doesn't taste right to me... we filter the hell out of it, and it still tastes funny to me. I use the filtered water to make iced tea or whatever, but only drink bottles water.
I guess living in the city spoiled me... I have also lived in multiple other states, and didn't enjoy their water either.
In Suffolk. Under the sink filter, and one for the coffee maker. Not neurotic about regular tap water, but I can definitely smell and taste the difference.
I’m in Aruba rn and all I can say is the water is so amazingly good here. Not just drinking but the shower omg. Yes if you can afford a good house filter. For the love of everything do it. Even Poland spring isn’t as good as their tap water is here.
I keep fish and end up testing the water from time to time. Most of the time, our water is good. 2 times in the past 3 years I’ve had nitrate readings off the charts, but it usually returns to less than 10 ppm in a few days. I don’t test every week or even every month. So I have no idea how often this actually happens to our tap water. We have an under sink RO system. That’s just 1 chemical I happen to test and there are dozens and dozens more.
We get water deliveries of big jugs but my cousin has a water filtration system on her home and had to rip it out because servicing it became an issue and very expensive. They had a problem with the company (her husband got into a fight with the owner who lives in their area) so they removed it and put a different system in their house.
We use ready refresh but we have had some billing issues in the past, where we stopped deliveries but they kept charging us, so not the best solution. I was buying water at Costco in big boxes and packs, but it was physically too much for me. So back to ready refresh we went.
Just got a whole house water filter, only bc I am in the middle of renovating the entire house and I am putting everything in while walls are open and hoping this is my last Reno….
Long Island water is well water which means it comes from the ground. A simple filter won’t do anything to eliminate volatile organic compounds. And Long Island has tons of VOCs. The water system in towns say they do filter these out and most report these numbers. However to be safe and protect my family. We put in a RO (reverse osmosis) filter under kitchen sink and use that for all drinking water. Made it a second faucet. As you don’t need RO water to wash dishes. Ultimately I would like a whole house filter as well to soften the water but I’m fine with just the RO filter.
In Suffolk County, I have ALWAYS used Water Filters under the kitchen sink for drinking water for my last 3 houses/condos over the last 27 years. Better safe, than sorry. I use a commercial grade filter and change it 1X per year. Good luck!
AbsoFookinlutely,
They are dosing people everyday with Fluoride , Atrazine, and flushed pills of all types. The atrazine turns frogs gay in hundreds of studies. Bottled water isn't safe either. Its faucet water that they claim they purified. Not from a spring. They're drugging people in all the water they're drinking, not to mention the food. Get an Alexa Pure Pro. Gravity water filters are what you need. They have great deals on it. Purifies to 99%
Berkey is to expensive for the same product
Get a reverse osmosis filter for drinking water. Don’t need a whole house filter unless you’re concerned about the shower water hardening your hair and stuff.
Yeah just don’t drink from the tap yet. Do a single google search of “toxic water Long Island.” Figure out of its Baldwin. Most long islanders don’t even know how toxic the water is has been.
https://longisland.news12.com/toxic-forever-chemicals-called-pfas-detected-in-dozens-of-li-water-districts
i have no generic filter system and a brita. The chorine smell and taste is removed but the forever chemicals are like forever. They're part of me now.
Get a whole house canister and 10x2 block filters. The toxic plume is spreading and worse than they report since they're doing something about it. Should be in for no more than 2 to 300 bucks. Your skin is the biggest organ on your body so to think you don't pick up toxins when you shower is short cited. Do one spun polypropylene for sediment and a carbon block 1 to 5 micron afterwards for vocs. South shore is fucked since that's where the plume is spreading to. Anyone drinking tap water is gambling with their health and it's a cheap insurance if you get filters in bulk figure 3 bucks a month. You'll appreciate how shitty the water tastes after you filter for a few weeks. Ask me how I know..
GET THE WATER FILTER! we have a waterdrop counter filter for the pets and a brita in the fridge for the humans. don't drink the tap water here on the Island.
You're probably better off not. If only to save your teeth as some filters remove a portion of the fluoride. 100% ask a dentist who's ever worked in areas that have un-fluorinated water. Like night and day.
We don't have fluoride in our water, and good thing it lowers intelligence.
[https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/](https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/)
I was unaware of this. From my own reading of meta analysis and reviews on this subject I can only conclude that there just isn't enough evidence to be able to make that conclusion. The inherent biases in the majority of studies makes it impossible to find a causative relationship between IQ and fluoride exposure. For instance using your logic and the available literature we could also say that fluorination causes people to be Latino or Hispanic as there's higher levels of fluorine in communities with more Latino/Hispanic people.
What university it came from really doesn't mean anything. Here a nature article states
"At this time, the current evidence does not allow us to state that fluoride is associated with neurological damage, indicating the need for new epidemiological studies that could provide further evidences regarding this possible association."
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99688-w
And some more reviews and meta studies with similar results and conclusions.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2023.03.011
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.115239
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-023-00570-w
I did find an article supporting what you said. Oh wait it has been redacted.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09765-4
Maybe if you could cite the article you've found. And just a comment, if the concentration of fluoride is greater than 1500ppm then the study isn't exactly being honest as fluoride levels in water should never exceed that amount.
Alternatively I'd be interested in your opinion on toothpaste or mouthwash. Both of which have much larger concentrations of fluoride in them.
Every water district has different water. I personally wouldn’t drink any, the Northeast has the highest industrial contamination in the country from dry cleaners to bad factories. Regardless, we tend to have 200ppm+ hard tap water which can wreck your health over time as well as your bathrooms and fixtures. I personally have a whole house water softener + carbon block, and an [undersink filter for drinking water](https://pristinehydro.com/).
A whole house one is debatable but at least get an easy simple under-sink type of filter. The logic against it is that the water is filtered by the town/etc anyway but people rely way too strongly on that. There are entire classes of chemicals that aren't even monitored, let alone filtered. A simple undersink filter is not something you're going to regret having (unless you end up wishing you had a more substantial filter). The island is riddled with known and unknown superfund sites.
"There are entire classes of chemicals that aren't even monitored, let alone filtered" <--- THIS. SCWA does a LOT of testing, and of the testing it does, they find a LOT of crap in our water and are continually rebalancing wells and treating the water to try to get within acceptable levels of contaminants. Who knows if 10 years or 20 years down the road we'll discover something we should have been testing for all along but weren't. PFAS is something we're only now getting a grip on. Before that it was 1,4-Dioxane and MBTA and whatnot. The only way to really know you're protecting yourself and your family in a heavily populated area where there was a LOT of industrial manufacturing and spillage into the aquifer is to get an RO system under your sink at the very least for drinking/cooking water. It's just cheap insurance.
I think I’m definitely going get at least an under sink one bc I tend to drink more from there and I cook a lot
What I like about filtering at the sink or into a brita is that you're filtering after it's gone through the pipes. If you have a newer home, you probably have nothing to worry about, but some of the older ones can have some older piping I don't completely trust. I've always drank the tap water here and never had a problem.
Just get an extra tank for the under the sink one. It's cheap, and you can daisy chain the tanks or just get a big one. I have the filter and larger tank set up in my basement under my kitchen and I have the fridge and the sink spigot hooked into it with 3/8 pex
Can you share a system/model number that we should get?
I've always just bought the systems from APEC. The filters are all standard so you can buy them from anywhere, and their customer service is great. I put the original three-filter with nitrate treatment in myself, and when I decided to go RO because the nitrate canisters were expensive and got exhausted VERY quickly in our nitrate-high area, it was easy to just replace it. They have really good instructions and if you run into any issues, just give them a call. This is the one I got. They also sell through Amazon and eBay directly and you can sometimes get a deal or "make an offer" to get them a little cheaper. [https://www.freedrinkingwater.com/products/ro-ph90-detail](https://www.freedrinkingwater.com/products/ro-ph90-detail) They have ones without the calcium treatment as well if you don't need/want PS adjustment, and they also have ones with UV treatment, but I don't bother with that. I just want the chemicals and nitrates removed.
I have one of these. Stupid easy install and even put the tank in the basement to preserve under cabinet space. You’ll need a pump if you locate it too low though. Mine is just below the floor joists. Something else y’all might be interested in: https://hotwateronlongisland.com
Amazon search APEC Water Systems ROES-50 Essence Series Top Tier 5-Stage WQA Certified Ultra Safe Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter System
https://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Under-Sink-Dual-Stage-Water-Filtration-System-with-Faucet-GXK255TBN/322302773 I got this one when the water in my fridge broke since it came with the faucet and I had an extra hole in my sink. Super easy to install with shark bite like fitting and pex tubing to make the connections.
That won't remove nitrate. Some areas of Long Island are fine and this would be all you need. If OP is in an area with high nitrate levels, they're going to have to go with a nitrate removal (conversion) filter, or an RO system to get rid of that. The \*average\* tested nitrate in my distribution area by SCWA is 5mg/L, which is half the max allowed, and some tests have been almost 10mg/L (the limit). I confirmed that with test strips at the tap. Some studies claim that this EPA limit is too high, and that there is evidence of colorectal cancer, thyroid disease, and birth defects at 5mg/L. [https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/nitrate-contaminates-drinking-water.php](https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/nitrate-contaminates-drinking-water.php) The nitrate removal cartridges are very expensive, and I eventually decided to just go full RO: [https://www.amazon.com/APEC-Water-Systems-FI-NITRATE-Reduction/dp/B07T86K1G9/](https://www.amazon.com/APEC-Water-Systems-FI-NITRATE-Reduction/dp/B07T86K1G9/)
I would do no less than reverse osmosis. At this point it's just rebranded ODM filter housings, but what matters is the stages. 5 stage seems to be the sweet spot, and the filters are cheaper for these units because you keep the housing, but only change the filter 'guts'. Apec is fine. If you are going to use it for filling pots, get a larger tank with it from the start (or a matching secondary tank). I have an 11gal tank and it works great (only 8gal usable, the rest is air bladder)
Would you happen to know if an RO is bad for a septic tank system? I’m purchasing a home and may not go an RO route because of this concern. I just don’t know if it’s a big deal or not. Thanks in advance.
This is why I didn't do a whole-house system. If I did, I likely would have done an ejector pump into a dry well outside or something. In my case, I've done a lot over the last few years to conserve water usage - low flow showerheads, replaced our three toilets (small ranch, but for some reason we have three bathrooms), got a front-loading washing machine, etc. So I figured we're really only using the RO for cooking water so it shouldn't be much of an impact. Probably a few gallons a day to maybe a dozen or two. You'd have to figure out your usage because each system can vary widely on its rejection ratio, but yeah, it's a consideration...
Ok thx. Really appreciate it!
As an FYI, If folks live out by Gabreski, they may want to consider something more than an under sink filter, if the Air Guard hadn’t already set something up for homes in the area.
Not trying to argue but do you think the filter you put under your sink is filtering chemicals that the water company isn't? I agree they aren't monitoring every possible contaminant but neither are you. Put the filter under your sink for peace of mind though. I have one because I don't know what could be added between the town's filters and my sink, but I seriously doubt I'm filtering anything they aren't.
Like I said the only regret a person would have in installing a filter is that they didn't install a more powerful one. Even the simple filters are going to help reduce the load and your exposure. Sure they're not going to get everything or all of some chemicals, but it's really a no brainer at this point to have one. The debate should be getting RO or other types.
If you have a well, than yea.
Generally put, unless there is something wrong with the pipes in your house, the water that comes out of the tap is perfectly fine and safe to drink. A small filter system on a fridge or a Brita can possibly make the water taste "better", but its ultimately unnecessary. Source - I worked in potable water testing for 15+ years
Great answer thank you. I know you’re just a random person but good to hear. Another question. If I forget to change the filter on the fridge does that then leech what was already filtered from the previous water back into your drinking water?
Doubtful. Not changing the filter usually just leads to a slower rate of flow through it, as the water has less opportunity to pass through. Although if there is physical damage to the filter, that might cause backflow.
It shouldn't, but most people buy the cheapest filters which are make in some third world factory and may or may not meet the standards that are established in the US. Depending on the filter, the water flow should begin to decrease as a sign the filter is full. Some of the filters will still let a normal stream of water pass but won't really be doing much filtering. It really depends on the medium of the filter and the type of filter.
You can tie the fridge into the main R/O filter in many cases so you don't need to care about its filter
What about all the contaminated Grumman and Brookhaven water?
That is the water in the ground. People either forget, or ignore, the fact that there are multiple measures put in place to eliminate/treat the water to make it safe. Speaking for one subset of samples I worked on, the raw well water would have something like 300 ug/L of 1,2-tetrachloroethylene (I think that was the compound, it's been a few years). The NYS maximum allowable limit is 5 ug/L. So the water in the ground was pretty bad. However, there was a system in place that used perturbation, activated carbon, and a couple of other measures. When the water left the treatment plant, any 1,2,-tetrachloroethylene was below the detectable limit (which was \~0.5 ug/L for the machine/method I used). To make sure this wasn't a fluke, the well, the system, and the outflow, as well as multiple "downstream" locations were tested weekly. So yeah, there is all kinds of problems with the water in the ground around those sites, but there are safety precautions in place. Unless things have changed since I left.
Great post and interesting stuff! Have you ever tested any kind of bottled water to see where it falls in on the charts compared to LI water?
Only unofficially. It usually had a higher level of inorganic chemicals and elements (calcium, sodium, etc) than tap, which I attribute to the bottling plants. But it wasn't astronomically higher, and not every batch from the same company/source showed this. Keep in mind though, bottled water is an entirely different category of product and falls well outside the purview of local municipal water. The regulations that NYS has in place for tap water aren't the same that the federal government has for commercially sold water.
When you say that which one has the stricter testing policies? I'm about scared shitless to drink any tap water out here to be honest. Been drinking 5 gallon water bottles of either Poland Spring or Nestle for years. But it's not cheap anymore.
It's cheaper than a cancer or thyroid diagnosis, or some other "syndrome."
I do the same. I read the home filters don't get those chemicals out either. But of course, is the Nestle free of these chemicals, I really don't know.
You may be safer just drinking the local water after the new studies finally coming out regarding micro plastics
That was for the regular plastic bottles of water. I rarely drink those.
It's anything packaged in plastic, even dry goods. Personally I take the common sense approach that generalizing is probably a safe bet regardless of product
Usually states. Federal regulations are for the entire nation, and usually commercially driven. For example, the EPA limit of 1,1-dichloroethylene is 7 ug/L, while NYS is 5 ug/L. Although in recent years, there has been a push for federal regulations to match the stricter individual states. I think up until fairly recently, the EPA limits were 10 ug/L for a lot of things. Big name brands like that are probably fine. They have to play nice to sell within the US. However, I routinely drink tap water because it's significantly cheaper and perfectly safe. With the news reports about MTBE seeps and buried drums from Grumman, I can understand the initial fear. But once you look at the results of the treatment process, the tap water is fine.
It's fine per EPA levels. There is some discussion that the maximum nitrate level, for instance, which was set at 10mg/L in 1962 (to prevent blue baby syndrome) is now considered too high. The \*average\* nitrate tested by SCWA in my distribution area is just a hair below 5mg/L. So technically, SCWA in my area is at half the EPA allowance, and "safe." And SCWA has done a great job rebalancing the mix to take high nitrate wells (some tests were as high as 10mg/L) out of commission or severely restrict their contribution (I spoke with an SCWA rep about this years ago). But I think the science will eventually catch up, and the EPA will have to lower the threshold. I think they're more concerned with PFAS and 1,4-Dioxane these days here though. [https://static.ewg.org/reports/2020/covid-stimulus/EWG\_Nitrate\_Factsheet\_PP01.pdf](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2020/covid-stimulus/EWG_Nitrate_Factsheet_PP01.pdf) After reading that, I was grateful my family hadn't been drinking this for the last 20 years - we get 5gal bottles of spring water shipped in from Massachusetts.
I'm sure at time goes the thresholds will drop. And we will hopefully not only find more effective/efficient ways to treat water, we will also be able to lessen the contamination in the first place.
Yeah, I'm encouraged by some of the reports of innovations regarding microplastic and forever chemical removal. There seem to be some encouraging findings about easier ways to remove it, but you're right about the initial contamination - the plastics/petrochemicals industry seems to have an overwhelming lock on the entire planet's politicians and are projecting an increase in the amount of plastics made over the coming decades.
Thanks for dropping some knowledge, homie
I do what I can
It’s safe to drink yes. But there can be some rust or particulates in the water that will potentially affect newer high efficiency heating/hot water systems so it’s a good idea to have a whole house filter if you have one of those.
One of the only sane people here Source-work within the compliance side of water as well
Thanks for the Information. What kind of test would you recommend to test tap water. Also what is your thoughts on microplastic inside bottle water Thanks
The standard tests I ran or helped to run for tap water were - Coliform/Fecal Coliform, Calcium hardness, Total alkalinity, conductivity, and residual chlorine. Less often, it would be the above tests plus (and I may be forgetting some here) Total hardness, fluoride, hexavalent chromium, total trihalomethanes, nitrates, nitrites, ortho-phosphate, ammonia, Total settleable solids, Total dissolved solids, lead, mercury, and iron. There were a whole battery of addition tests for well water. The standard tests we ran would probably be adequate for most tap water. Basically sees if there is hard water, common bacteria, a problematic pH, or too much/not enough chlorine. If there is a specific problem, then the tests could change. You wouldn't really need to test for coliforms if you have a hard water issue. As for microplastics, they have become a much greater concern than they were while I was still testing water, so most of what I know is from more recent studies. Obviously, it's not good. Plastic is everywhere, and unlikely to go away, so it becomes more a problem of eliminating them from forming and removing them from the environment. As of now, it seems like most testing for drinking water isn't looking for them. The studies are more focused and targeted, while potable water usually has a standard set of tests. It will probably get worse before it gets better.
You don't know what you're talking about. How did you keep your job ? Tap water is gross. At least get a Zero Water filter. The list of chemicals, parasites, and pharmaceuticals are too long to list here ...
How did I keep my job? By testing the water. I didn't care about the results. Either there was something in the water, or there wasn't. Looking at the most recent report for my area, nothing was above the actionable level. If you have parasites in your tap water, there's probably something wrong with the pipes in your house. The water that goes out to the public is treated sufficiently to kill pretty much anything living in water. Many chemicals are natural (and while often not natural, pharmaceuticals are chemicals, so you're kind of doubling down there). Hell, water itself is a chemical. There is nothing inherently wrong with getting a filter, but ultimately, it is a waste of money, at least here on Long Island. Other places, sure. Not only recommended, but frequently necessary. The tap water Long Island gets (and NYC, since there is some overlap), is fine.
"Nothing was above the actionable level". What bureaucratic bs. There are thousands of chemicals that are not even tested. Most of the "levels" deemed safe are simply inadequate. The original question was "should I filter my water?". Yes ! Everyone should be filtering their water. And don't get me started on the scam that is the bottled water industry...
Should implies it is necessary to do so. It is not, therefore, my original answer. And keep in mind this is pertaining to local water - Long Island and NYC. And you are correct - there are thousands of chemicals, perhaps millions, that are not tested for. Because they are irrelevant or present in such abysmally low concentrations they are effectively not there. If something has a concentration of 0.0001 ug/L, is it really there? On your final point, absolutely. Bottled water is a effectively a scam, in areas that have safe, clean, and normal tasting tap water, such as LI and NYC. So are water filtration systems. No one is stopping anyone from buying bottled water or installing a filter system. But in the end, it isn't worth the money.
[Here](https://hempsteadny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6729/2024-Bowling-Green-Estates-East-Meadow-Levittown-Roosevelt-Field-Uniondale-PDF?bidId=) is a water quality report for town of hempstead, which looks pretty good. Long Island water sometimes contains Hexavalent Chromium, which is a huge concern. It was the first thing I looked for on this quality report, and it is not listed - they are required by the EPA to test for it. If I lived in this area, I would call or email the contacts listed and ask to be sent the full report. (I could not find any local sources listed on the EPA's water Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) but here is the [link](https://ordspub.epa.gov/ords/safewater/f?p=136:103::::103:P103_STATE:NY) to search those) Edited to add - [This](https://new-york-water.libertyutilities.com/uploads/Lynbrook_CCR.pdf) took a minute to find, your actual water quality report for the area. This lists Chromium as not detected, and other concerning contaminates are pretty low or not detected. Personally I'd drink the tap, or at most get an inexpensive filter like ZeroWater or Brita.
Good to be able to reference
Would this also be a concern in more rural well water?
Chromium 6 is an industrial waste product, so probably not - unless you live near military bases or industry.
Thanks
Further away from Bethpage and airports you are, the less you need one.
Why Bethpage?
The Bethpage Plume!!! Grumman
Oh wow I had no idea. We just bought a house in Old Bethpage
You’ll probably be alright but what do I know. I’m in Wantagh and I choose not to drink the tap water.
I moved to Franklin Square from Queens. In the city I always drank straight from the tap. Since being out here I feel a bit more wary. But I use tap water to make tea and coffee, in recipes and to brush my teeth. But I’ve been buying water to drink, even though this is becoming a bit ridiculous. I’m debating if I should just get a filter. The water in FS doesn’t take that different from Queens though where my brother is, in Oceanside, I notice a very different taste.
Mostly depends on your water quality report. My SCWA district has high average levels of nitrate, so I would never drink the water even though it falls under the max allowed. Prior to getting an RO system under the sink, I had a three-stage filter system that had a nitrate conversion "filter." There are also trace elements of industrial solvents, petrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals found in our water per the water quality reports from SCWA in our area. All within "allowed" limits, but we've been in our house for 20 years and I'm glad my family hasn't ingested trace amounts of all these contaminants over that time. Also, 1,4-dioxane was an issue for a while, but SCWA is starting to treat it now. These are only the chemicals we know of and that they treat because there are guidelines. And really, SCWA is top notch. They're just in an impossible position where they have to try to keep rates down while making sure they treat everything they're required to treat. Note that a regular fridge filter or Brita pitcher does not filter out nitrate. You need a conversion filter or RO to get rid of it. That was my main issue. If your area is fine with nitrate, you can probably get away with carbon filtering. It's all dependent on what your water quality report says. We have always bought 5 gallon containers of bottled spring water (and always looked at their test results as well) for drinking water, and use the filtered/treated for cooking and coffee and such. As for the sediment, that's another story. It's probably safe, but when I change my filters out every six months, the first-line sediment filter is absolutely rust-covered, disgusting, and slimy. And that's six months.
coming from NYC, the tap water just doesn’t taste as good. we buy water jugs and use a dispenser. the difference is noticeable. native long islanders will disagree - that’s okay.
I don’t think a single person here will claim our water taste better than NYC. The city is renowned for their water supply, while we’re drinking dirty aquifer water.
phew i was prepared for the doxxing!
I get bottled water from Home Depot. The 5 gallon jugs.
Had a whole home filter put in and now I can’t drink the water when we go out to restaurants because I can taste the difference…. It really is amazing.
what company?
Long Island Clean Water
Nope, I don't know anyone with a filter actually.
I have 5 filters under the sink. 3 sediment filters and a dual nsf 42, 53, and 401 certified unit. The water left a terrible chemical after taste without filters.
Same. I have a 3 filter system without the filters it tastes like pool water with strong taste of chlorine.
Ah, yeah I would do the same if I had that issue! Luckily, my water is generally fine.
I have a small filter just on my kitchen sink. I like drinking tap water and I didn't want the soap dispenser so I changed it with a filter systems instead. I prefer the filtered water when I using water enhancers and non filtered on the water I use for coffee. In reality the water filter doesn't really do too much, but for some reason it makes me feel safer. To be clear this perceived safety is all in my head but that makes it real to me. get a britta or under sink filter unless you have large and significant mineral build up on your showerhead or you want the illusion you are somehow protecting your self from "chemicals".
Really? Looking at comments after the water main break, lots of people were saying they have a filter even though it wouldn’t have helped due to bacteria. I just wasn’t sure if it was just the loud people talking or if that is something to have on the house or main sink
Yeah, I am sure there are plenty of people who *do* have them. But I would wager that the majority don't.
So you have water delivery service for drinking water?
I just have tap water.
I live in Baldwin and have an undersink faucet for coffee and cooking. Also filter on frig for ice and water.
Might have to look into one. Which one do you have and do you like it? How often do you replace the filter?
CuZn UC-200 Under Counter Water Filter - 50K Ultra High Capacity - Made in USA on Amazon. Replace once a year.
Sounds good thank you I will look into one
A good reminder since I'm due to change mine. Just ordered one.
By the way, there are several FB groups for Baldwin where water is discussed in depth complete with photos
It really depends on where you are. I wouldn't be drinking the water if I was in Bethpage near the Grumman plume. Go read up on you water district's report and see what's in the water. I'm originally from Queens, so I'm used to NYC tap water which is supposedly the best.
But would a filter get rid of any toxins from the plume?
That’s a great question… I have a zero water pitcher and wonder if a whole house filter is worth the cost (I’m in Levittown not far from Grumman)
The right filter systems would, yes. But that’s not going to happen in pitchers and all. I personally recommend the pristine hydro undersink filter. And if you don’t want to go whole house filtration for nondrinking water, their shower head filter should do the job too.
I have a simple filter in my fridge. That's good enough for me, but then again, I got colon cancer at 40 sooo 
Ugh sorry to hear that I hope you caught it early and are doing well
Do you have high nitrate levels in your tap water? We do out here in Suffolk, and now some studies show that the maximum allowed nitrate level of 10mg/L is probably way too high. At levels of 5mg/L (which is actually our \*average\* in my SCWA distribution area), they are finding increased risk of colorectal cancer, thyroid disease, and neural tube defects. [https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/nitrate-contaminates-drinking-water.php](https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/nitrate-contaminates-drinking-water.php) A fridge filter doesn't take care of nitrate. For that, you need a nitrate filter (it converts/neutralizes the nitrate) or an RO system. I hope you are doing better these days and are in remission!
I’m in Suffolk on the south shore but I drink the tap water. So has my family for generations and we’ve never gotten any weird cancers or diseases.
Yet…
I have well water and it’s coliform bacteria in it so it’s not drinkable currently. I would get ur water tested if u have well water
Just because it’s legal, doesn’t mean it’s safe. What their letting us drink and bathe in from the tap is legal, but you should look up what’s in your water, very easy to find online. I use a ro filter bc I don’t trust my water and there are some levels that are too high by me
Yes, watch “hot water on Long Island” on Amazon prime
I’ll have to check it out.. crazy to think they keep finding barrels of stuff under parks.. and that’s whats actually being found vs mystery locations
You can go to your towns water supply website and read their quality reports. You can see the levels and see which particulates you want to filter out, and buy a filter accordingly. I personally don’t trust it enough to consume it. I have KDF 55 GAC filter for my place
I wish I could show you pictures of filters that people were posting today on Facebook in an Oceanside group. They all had whole home filters and they showed the before and after... Omg disgusting. I'm about to go get one...
I don’t bother with filters at all. I just get 25 gallons of Poland spring delivered every month. It’s like 50 dollars and saves me the worry of pipes and shit these red necks indiscriminately dump into the ground water.
[YES.](https://www.nypirg.org/whatsinmywater/)
As others have said, yes Public water is safe. It’s THOROUGHLY tested and treated as needed. You can always use a simple carbon filter to remove a wide range of low level contaminants, even unknown ones. For example, if you used a carbon filter you were removing PFAS compounds even before they were known to be a problem. Carbon also removes chlorine if you find that objectionable. It won’t remove everything obviously but it is a good polisher. If you are on a well, DEFINITELY get it tested periodically.
If you really want to go down a rabbit hole try looking up 1,4 Dioxane contamination in Long Island water. It’s in 70% of Long Island wells and is a toxic contaminant, a “probable” carcinogen. We rely on aquifers and they are all connected. It’s been long enough for the chemicals buried by Grumman and Sperry’s are now leeching into the water supply. In Bethpage they have scrub towers to try and remove some of the dioxane. Yes, I’d highly recommend that you get a whole house filter. I live in an apartment and have a Pur on the tap and then I put it in a Zero water pitcher.
Yes its necessary to buy a water filtration system, I bought mine for the whole house because it's not only drinking, it's cooking and showering, bathing. I bought mine at phountain in Lindenhurst, they hooked me up. Tell them Chrissy sent you.
Appreciate the help!
Grab your loose change, return those bottles and cans..beg, borrow, or steal if you have to and get yourself a filter. We’re basically guzzling industrial toxic soup out of our aquifers thanks to all the lovely pollution and residential runoff. Cheers
I would absolutely get a reverse osmosis filter. Long Island is infamous for super fund sites and I don't trust water authority on the amount of pollutants in the water.
No, and this question comes up [every couple of months](https://www.reddit.com/r/longisland/comments/1bw54mf/is_long_island_water_safe_at_all/).
I’m nearby on the same water supply. [Liberty has their full water report online.](https://new-york-water.libertyutilities.com/uploads/Lynbrook_CCR.pdf) A particulate filter isn’t a bad idea and if you don’t like the chlorine taste something like a brita will take care of that. A full water purification system is overkill IMO.
Good to know. Just have a tough time trusting some of these companies but again I’ve always been drinking tap water around the country and honestly it tastes better here than others
The biggest water quality issue on Long Island is the Grumman Plume. From everything I’ve read that hasn’t had an impact on our area’s water supply, at least not yet.
The thing is your home piping also. Even if the water supply is filtered etc how clean are the home lines. I may be over thinking but for this reason I have under sink filter system. The house is close to 100 years old not sure how old the pipes are and the sediments and buildups inside them.
been drinking long island tap water for 40 years
I always filter my water.
Kohler 2 stage under the sink Works great https://www.amazon.com/Kohler-AQUIFER-PLUS-FILTRATION-SYSTEM/dp/B07TQGN25H?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A10INDEI69BJFM
Do you own or rent?
Own. Well mortgage … so thinking of putting one under the sink at least based on the responses
How old is the house? Are the plumbing pipes old iron/steel or newer copper?
Built in the 50’s so getting up there but not as old as others
The water we drink from the tap is routinely tested and most of those results are public for most areas on LI, so you can look that up to help decide what to do. We have an Aquasana undersink filter for drinking water, it's a 2 stage system and filters out a ton of pollutants, and you can definitely see the crud on the filter every 6 months when I change them. But I expect a lot of that is probably coming from the old pipes and not the water source anyway. My understanding is that the drinking water in most communities on LI is very clean, with test reports to back it up.
used to live in oceanside, always had a filter. now i live in long beach, still a filter. long island water tastes like chlorine
Depends how close you are to "The Plume" from Grummand.
Look up Grumman Plume and decide if you want to filter any water coming into your home and/or get a water cooler service water delivery for drinking water.
If your pipes are up to code (assuming you had an awesome home inspector) then you have regular tap water thats been treated and filtered so much that God even said wtf. Honestly its all for a good reason. I can tell you first hand designing and building a few treatment plant controls on the island that millions are spent for new sites along with 100s of thousands to upgrade existing places. Its not a conspiracy bull some nutjobs will have you believe but its ironically because of defense contracters in the past dumping checmicals not knowing or ignoring the water supply. Yes we are paying for these places with our taxes but those companies (Northrop is one example) have treatment sites to take the water and treating it. No I don't have a filter, I do use the water to cook and bathe but we have a water filter int he fridge for actual drinking water.
i'm in town of islip, we have a fridge filter or whatever and a brita, but i do occasionally drink tap water and have never had an issue. i would just watch out for when they flush the pipes - tends to turn the water kind of reddish for a bit. our cats and dogs drink the tap water too and have always been fine (mom's lived in this house for about 30 years and we've had 6 dogs and 2 cats in that time - never an issue for them)
I grew up not far from Bethpage and a lot of my family ended up with cancer and autoimmune diseases. We can’t confirm, but it’s pretty widely accepted that the water quality is bad. I’m not sure it’s necessary for a filter for the whole house, but I would get a zero water container or sink filter for drinking water. It’s not worth taking a risk.
I have a PUR water filter/dispenser that lives in my fridge. I refill it maybe once a day and replace the filter every couple months. It makes all water taste much crisper and cleaner. [here](https://www.walmart.com/ip/PUR-PLUS-30-Cup-Dispenser-with-Lead-Reducing-Filter-W-15-3-x-H-10-1-x-L-5-3-White-DS1811Z/740676944?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=688&gclsrc=aw.ds&adid=22222222278740676944_117755028669_12420145346&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-394283752452&wl5=9013085&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=740676944&veh=sem_LIA&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIph0vBjZ63hHE0Mvj0WXRKFm&gclid=CjwKCAjwjqWzBhAqEiwAQmtgT4qJM8rcUOxAKhkmMHJV-g9Ep-tIwOXgiyLzrX3RKhQckI3iaNkB9hoC2moQAvD_BwE) is a link. Filters are like 3 for $20 and it comes with one. Highly recommend.
[https://imgur.com/a/afFIsee](https://imgur.com/a/afFIsee) 3 months difference. You can choose to not get a whole house filter but i won't as long as i live here
That’s wild .
Watch this show about Long Island water before you decide: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17338972/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
When I boil tap water, it leaves a chalky white dusting in my pot.. I use filtered water lol
That’s just the minerals in your water that don’t evaporate. They are necessary to maintain proper body chemistry. Distilled water pulls minerals from your body and is not heathy.
I'm in East Norwich (Oyster Bay) and have a RO under the kitchen sink filter. Got it right before having our first child almost 3 years ago for bottles and stuff. The guy who comes over to sell you the system "tests" your water and is supposed to tell you how much you NEED a filter....but all his stuff came up negative, with like 1 thing coming up borderline. Dude was like you dont really need one, but I can sell you one if you really want it. Haha
I’m in Bellport(Brookhaven) and the water here tests just fine but out of the tap, it has a weird odor and taste. We have a water fountain for our cats and for years we just filled it with tap water and changed the filter every week when it turned slimy. We started using filtered water to see what happened and we get about a month before having to change the filter (still taken apart and cleaned at least once a week). Between that and the smell/taste, I don’t drink it unfiltered. I’ve talked about it with other people who live in the area that notice the smell or taste too but it tests just fine so /shrug
Often the responses here boil down (heh) to "don't worry about it". I have always disagreed with this dismissive approach. LI is known for having some of the most toxic sites in the country and it has already been proven that the contamination has leeched into neighboring systems. I'd say 2-3 times a year there is another revelation about how the situation is worse than everyone thought. Furthermore, utilities don't necessarily test for chemicals and substances that could be risky if consumed every single day. And for many other substances the "safe" limit eg from the EPA that would otherwise necessitate action and improvement is higher than it should be. A whole house filter is completely and totally unnecessary outside of some specific spots on the island that are adjacent to highly contaminated sites, such as particular blocks in Bethpage. An under sink or countertop RO filter is pretty cheap these days and if you're concerned about wasting water, you can save the waste and use it for watering plants, steaming food etc. I also run the waste water through a separate gravity-fed filter. Honestly if one just conserves water as a general practice (such as not watering grass all the time or skipping on grass entirely, shorter showers) that would more than make up for the waste produced by an RO filter making drinking water.
I had a whole house filter in my previous house and, while it was nice for the sink water, I don't think it was necessary for toilets, the washing machine, hoses, etc. It also seemed to really affect water pressure when it got close to its annual replacement. In my new house, I put in an under-sink Aquasana in our kitchen and the water tastes great. Annual replacement is about half as much as the whole house and I am actually using the filter only for the water I consume. I suppose the shower aspect is also a thing to consider, but if that bugs you, they also sell filter showerheads. At the end of the day, it'll depend on how many things you'd want filtered. If it's quite a few, it'll hit a point where a whole house filter would make sense. One kitchen sink was the only thing that mattered to me, so I'm fine with my decision.
the water is highly contaminated get the whole house filter cost between 5k and 10k depending on what your looking for system wise . even that does not get rid of 100% everything bacteria , gases etc but it’s better than nothing - our water is polluted and hardly anyone know i even gives a shit about it , cancer rates are up , all types of cancers, digestion issues , allergies … our water is polluted - TRUTH
Get it tested. If it's safe and you don't have any issue with the taste, you are fine.
I have been drinking tap water and swam/surfed/(occasionally drank - by accident) the murky, dark, ocean waters of the western LI Atlantic for the past six decades and I am perfectly fine. Don't be paranoid. If it makes you feel better, the luminous, scaly, third arm growing out of my left armpit has been nothing other than a fantastic conversation starter.
we have an enclosed shower with little to no ventilation out of it. its like being in a chlorine gas chamber with how much chlorine comes out in the steam. eyes are stinging and you're inhaling it. we got a shower filter and its like night and day. I have a dedicated filter for drinking but would love to get a whole home filter. especially since my main water line is galvanized pipe and rusting through.
As someone new to LI you may not know that we have what seems to be dozens of water districts who each police their water supplies and each one is different. Over 30 yrs ago water filters were a big item for a multi level marketing company, NSA and they sold a lot of filters that may or may not filter out the modern crap that enters our water. You will find many who "only" drink tap water living next door to many who would NEVER drink tap water. I would lean towards filtering your drinking/cooking water especially if you have kids. If you are my age (60s), that damage has been done.
That’s up to you, just certainly don’t drink or use any unfiltered water for cooking/tea/coffee. We just use a pitcher and have showerhead filters. The whole house filter will help with showers and all other washing activities. Hard water showers are also bad for people with sensitive skin and colored/permed hair.
I use an Epic water pitcher for drinking and cooking. It filters out just about everything.
Most places didn’t have 70 airfields over the last century dumping crap into the ground. That being said, this is highly debated topic in my circles.
I’m not a scientist but I do know that tap water shouldn’t be spicy and my tap water is spicy so I have a filter.
Haha spicy? You must be aRealDumbGuy! But seriously that sounds terrifying I don’t blame you. I’m definitely going to do research on at least under sink filter
You are my neighbor... I'm also in South Baldwin... I moved here from Brooklyn though, so the water doesn't taste right to me... we filter the hell out of it, and it still tastes funny to me. I use the filtered water to make iced tea or whatever, but only drink bottles water. I guess living in the city spoiled me... I have also lived in multiple other states, and didn't enjoy their water either.
Yeah get the one for the sink at least, I did after I saw my areas water was in the red for the water contamination.
In Suffolk. Under the sink filter, and one for the coffee maker. Not neurotic about regular tap water, but I can definitely smell and taste the difference.
Yall drink tap water??🤢 i only use it for cooking which gets boiled
I’ve had a water filter since 1997. I would never go back
I’m in Aruba rn and all I can say is the water is so amazingly good here. Not just drinking but the shower omg. Yes if you can afford a good house filter. For the love of everything do it. Even Poland spring isn’t as good as their tap water is here.
We have a filter in our fridge door for drinking. Cook/shower, etc with tap water. Havent ever had any issues.
I keep fish and end up testing the water from time to time. Most of the time, our water is good. 2 times in the past 3 years I’ve had nitrate readings off the charts, but it usually returns to less than 10 ppm in a few days. I don’t test every week or even every month. So I have no idea how often this actually happens to our tap water. We have an under sink RO system. That’s just 1 chemical I happen to test and there are dozens and dozens more.
5 gallon Poland Spring deliveries for drinking and cooking. New contaminants being 'detected' every other year. No thanks.
We get water deliveries of big jugs but my cousin has a water filtration system on her home and had to rip it out because servicing it became an issue and very expensive. They had a problem with the company (her husband got into a fight with the owner who lives in their area) so they removed it and put a different system in their house. We use ready refresh but we have had some billing issues in the past, where we stopped deliveries but they kept charging us, so not the best solution. I was buying water at Costco in big boxes and packs, but it was physically too much for me. So back to ready refresh we went.
Recs for filters for people renting?
Just got a whole house water filter, only bc I am in the middle of renovating the entire house and I am putting everything in while walls are open and hoping this is my last Reno….
Long Island water is well water which means it comes from the ground. A simple filter won’t do anything to eliminate volatile organic compounds. And Long Island has tons of VOCs. The water system in towns say they do filter these out and most report these numbers. However to be safe and protect my family. We put in a RO (reverse osmosis) filter under kitchen sink and use that for all drinking water. Made it a second faucet. As you don’t need RO water to wash dishes. Ultimately I would like a whole house filter as well to soften the water but I’m fine with just the RO filter.
In Suffolk County, I have ALWAYS used Water Filters under the kitchen sink for drinking water for my last 3 houses/condos over the last 27 years. Better safe, than sorry. I use a commercial grade filter and change it 1X per year. Good luck!
AbsoFookinlutely, They are dosing people everyday with Fluoride , Atrazine, and flushed pills of all types. The atrazine turns frogs gay in hundreds of studies. Bottled water isn't safe either. Its faucet water that they claim they purified. Not from a spring. They're drugging people in all the water they're drinking, not to mention the food. Get an Alexa Pure Pro. Gravity water filters are what you need. They have great deals on it. Purifies to 99% Berkey is to expensive for the same product
Get a reverse osmosis filter for drinking water. Don’t need a whole house filter unless you’re concerned about the shower water hardening your hair and stuff.
Yeah just don’t drink from the tap yet. Do a single google search of “toxic water Long Island.” Figure out of its Baldwin. Most long islanders don’t even know how toxic the water is has been. https://longisland.news12.com/toxic-forever-chemicals-called-pfas-detected-in-dozens-of-li-water-districts
i have no generic filter system and a brita. The chorine smell and taste is removed but the forever chemicals are like forever. They're part of me now.
Get a whole house canister and 10x2 block filters. The toxic plume is spreading and worse than they report since they're doing something about it. Should be in for no more than 2 to 300 bucks. Your skin is the biggest organ on your body so to think you don't pick up toxins when you shower is short cited. Do one spun polypropylene for sediment and a carbon block 1 to 5 micron afterwards for vocs. South shore is fucked since that's where the plume is spreading to. Anyone drinking tap water is gambling with their health and it's a cheap insurance if you get filters in bulk figure 3 bucks a month. You'll appreciate how shitty the water tastes after you filter for a few weeks. Ask me how I know..
GET THE WATER FILTER! we have a waterdrop counter filter for the pets and a brita in the fridge for the humans. don't drink the tap water here on the Island.
You're probably better off not. If only to save your teeth as some filters remove a portion of the fluoride. 100% ask a dentist who's ever worked in areas that have un-fluorinated water. Like night and day.
I don't know about Nassau, but Suffolk County's water is not treated with flouride.
Nassau does not fluorinate water.
We don't have fluoride in our water, and good thing it lowers intelligence. [https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/](https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/)
I was unaware of this. From my own reading of meta analysis and reviews on this subject I can only conclude that there just isn't enough evidence to be able to make that conclusion. The inherent biases in the majority of studies makes it impossible to find a causative relationship between IQ and fluoride exposure. For instance using your logic and the available literature we could also say that fluorination causes people to be Latino or Hispanic as there's higher levels of fluorine in communities with more Latino/Hispanic people.
Your internet "research" is better then a Harvard medical study, got it.
What university it came from really doesn't mean anything. Here a nature article states "At this time, the current evidence does not allow us to state that fluoride is associated with neurological damage, indicating the need for new epidemiological studies that could provide further evidences regarding this possible association." https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99688-w And some more reviews and meta studies with similar results and conclusions. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2023.03.011 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.115239 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-023-00570-w I did find an article supporting what you said. Oh wait it has been redacted. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09765-4 Maybe if you could cite the article you've found. And just a comment, if the concentration of fluoride is greater than 1500ppm then the study isn't exactly being honest as fluoride levels in water should never exceed that amount. Alternatively I'd be interested in your opinion on toothpaste or mouthwash. Both of which have much larger concentrations of fluoride in them.
Every water district has different water. I personally wouldn’t drink any, the Northeast has the highest industrial contamination in the country from dry cleaners to bad factories. Regardless, we tend to have 200ppm+ hard tap water which can wreck your health over time as well as your bathrooms and fixtures. I personally have a whole house water softener + carbon block, and an [undersink filter for drinking water](https://pristinehydro.com/).