Skip to content

City water profile

Buffalo water quality

Compare local ZIP estimates, evidence quality, associated public systems, and compliance history for Buffalo, New York.

Median indexed hardness

233PPM

17 indexed ZIPs

Range 219–233 PPM

State comparison
113 PPM above
State hardness rank
#5 of 55
Matched utilities
1
Active health records
0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Buffalo has 17 published ZIP profiles across Erie County. The indexed median is 233 PPM, compared with 120 PPM across New York.

Among the 55 New Yorkcities with an indexed median, Buffalo ranks #5from highest to lowest. Across all 132 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 7.2to 290 PPM.

The 219–233 PPM range shows how much the available ZIP estimates vary within the city label. At least one estimate is marked low confidence, so observation distance and date deserve extra attention.

Hardness distribution

How local ZIP estimates compare

Soft0 ZIPs
Moderately hard0 ZIPs
Hard0 ZIPs
Very hard17 ZIPs

17 of 17 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance
20.8 miles
Profiles with evidence
17/17

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 16Low: 1

Observation window: Feb 1, 2016 to May 6, 2026.

ZIP directory

Water reports in Buffalo

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

14201

Very Hard

233 PPM

Nearest site
20.8 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14202

Very Hard

219 PPM

Nearest site
22 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14203

Very Hard

219 PPM

Nearest site
23.6 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14204

Very Hard

219 PPM

Nearest site
22.3 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14206

Very Hard

226 PPM

Nearest site
23.6 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14207

Very Hard

233 PPM

Nearest site
17.2 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14208

Very Hard

233 PPM

Nearest site
20.6 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14209

Very Hard

233 PPM

Nearest site
20.3 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14210

Very Hard

219 PPM

Nearest site
24.1 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14211

Very Hard

233 PPM

Nearest site
21.8 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14212

Very Hard

233 PPM

Nearest site
22.5 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14213

Very Hard

233 PPM

Nearest site
19.5 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14214

Very Hard

233 PPM

Nearest site
19.3 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14215

Very Hard

233 PPM

Nearest site
20.5 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14216

Very Hard

233 PPM

Nearest site
18.2 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14220

Very Hard

219 PPM

Nearest site
25.5 mi
Confidence
Low

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

14222

Very Hard

233 PPM

Nearest site
19.6 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

Buffalo Water Authority

PWSID NY1400422

Surface water
System population served
276,000
Last reported
Jun 25, 2026

A municipal system, in-state city, and served county all agree with this Census ZCTA.

Compliance history

What EPA records show

No active health-based violation appears among the associated systems in the represented EPA reporting quarter. This does not mean every contaminant was tested at every tap.

RecordSystemPeriodStatus
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONSNY1400422Oct 17, 2024Resolved
Lead and Copper RuleNY1400422Jul 1, 2024Resolved

Practical next steps

Move from index to evidence

  1. 1. Open your ZIP. Check distance, dates, confidence, and the associated utility.
  2. 2. Read the current CCR. Confirm source water, detections, limits, ranges, and notices.
  3. 3. Test the tap when needed. Confirm health concerns or treatment sizing with the right method.

Questions people ask

About water in Buffalo

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 233 PPM. Open the ZIP report to verify the distance and confidence behind that estimate.

Is the tap water safe?

Compliance history is utility-wide and cannot guarantee conditions at every tap. Check current notices and test when address-specific evidence is needed.

Do I need treatment?

Choose treatment only after confirming the problem at the property. A softener targets hardness; contaminant treatment requires a matching, verified performance claim.