Saratoga County, New York: drinking water report. Saratoga County in eastern New York has a population of about 235,000, with Saratoga Springs and Clifton…
Saratoga County in eastern New York has a population of about 235,000, with Saratoga Springs and Clifton Park as the largest communities. Water sources range from the Saratoga Lake for the city's system to groundwater wells for suburban towns. The county's geology includes both fractured bedrock aquifers and glacial sand-and-gravel deposits, each carrying a different contaminant profile. The former Saratoga Springs Air Force Station and several legacy industrial sites add contamination history.
The Luther Forest Technology Campus in Malta, developed on the former Luther Forest, attracted GlobalFoundries' semiconductor fabrication plant – one of the largest chip manufacturing operations in the country. According to the New York State DEC's 2024 discharge monitoring data, the facility's wastewater treatment produces effluent containing trace PFAS from semiconductor manufacturing processes, discharged under a SPDES permit.
The EPA's UCMR5 program detected PFAS at sampling points in Saratoga County systems. A 2023 NYSDOH assessment found that two community water systems in the county reported PFAS levels above New York's MCL of 10 ppt. Naturally occurring manganese in the county's groundwater is another concern – several systems use treatment to reduce manganese levels that exceed secondary standards and cause brown discoloration.
If your water appears brown or leaves stains on fixtures, manganese is the likely culprit. While manganese at the levels found in Saratoga County is not an acute health risk at most concentrations, it affects aesthetics and may be a concern for young children at elevated levels.
Check your water to see current monitoring data for your system. For PFAS, reverse osmosis is the most effective household option. For manganese, oxidation filters or water softeners can help. Our water filter guide covers both issues. Pull your detailed report for trends, and visit our New York page for statewide data.