The city of Syracuse was first incorporated as a village in 1825. In 1829, villagers selected Oliver Teall to build the area’s first waterworks. Teall finished the construction of his water system, which consisted of wooden pipes, in 1843. The Syracuse City Water Company was founded in 1849 to track Syracuse water quality. In June of 1889, residents voted to source their water from Skaneateles Lake and for the local municipality to take control of monitoring Syracuse water quality. 

Today, Syracuse tap water is still mainly sourced from Skaneateles Lake, one of New York’s Finger Lakes. Skaneateles Lake represents one of the largest surface water sources in the U.S. approved as an unfiltered water supply. The water quality is so high thanks to the lake’s size and shape and the well-managed local watershed. Syracuse tap water is also sourced from Lake Ontario to supplement the water supply when necessary. The water system includes more than 500 miles of pipes that deliver water to the city’s residents. Water is stored in the city at the Woodland, Morningside, and Westcott Reservoirs. 

Syracuse tap water is generally safe to drink and meets all standards established by the EPA. The Syracuse Water Department is tasked with monitoring and controlling Syracuse water quality. The SWD does not treat any of the water that comes into the city from Skaneateles Lake because the surface water source has been approved by the New York State Department of Health as a high-quality water supply. Water from other sources is disinfected and treated with chlorine and fluoride to ensure Syracuse water quality meets national standards. 

Surface drinking water sources are susceptible to contamination from humans and from natural sources. Because there are so many agricultural operations in the Skaneateles Watershed, Syracuse water quality is easily susceptible to pesticide contamination. The city’s water also faces contamination risks caused by mineral deposits and mining operations.