Rockland County, New York: drinking water report. Rockland County sits northwest of New York City in the lower Hudson Valley, with a population of about…
Rockland County sits northwest of New York City in the lower Hudson Valley, with a population of about 340,000. Suez Water (now Veolia Water) and United Water New Rochelle serve most of the county, drawing from the Ramapo River, Lake DeForest, and groundwater wells. The county's proximity to both the Hudson River industrial corridor and the suburban development of the greater New York metro creates a mix of contamination sources that range from legacy industrial sites to stormwater runoff from highways and commercial areas.
The Camp Shanks site in Orangeburg, a former WWII military staging area, has documented soil and groundwater contamination. More recently, PFAS has emerged as a concern. According to the New York State Department of Health's 2024 PFAS monitoring report, three public water systems in Rockland County detected PFAS above the state's MCL of 10 ppt for PFOA and PFOS individually. The Spring Valley and Haverstraw areas showed the highest concentrations.
New York's PFAS standards are among the strictest in the nation at 10 ppt for individual compounds, compared to the federal MCL of 4 ppt. This means Rockland County systems may report detections that would be below concern in states with less stringent limits. A 2023 Veolia compliance report noted that the company invested $12 million in granular activated carbon treatment to address PFAS at affected wellfields.
Rockland County's water providers have already begun installing PFAS treatment at the system level, which reduces but may not eliminate exposure at the tap. Household treatment provides an additional layer of protection.
Check your water to see current data for your address. For PFAS, reverse osmosis or a carbon filter certified to NSF 53/P473 will work. Our water filter guide details the difference between these approaches. Pull your detailed report for trends, and visit our New York page for statewide context.