Warren County, New York: drinking water report. Warren County sits in the southeastern Adirondacks, home to Lake George, Glens Falls, Queensbury, and
Warren County sits in the southeastern Adirondacks, home to Lake George, Glens Falls, Queensbury, and Bolton Landing. Most residents rely on surface water drawn from Lake George, the Hudson River watershed, and smaller mountain lakes, while some rural areas depend on private wells. The county's location in a protected Adirondack Park region brings both cleaner source water and heightened scrutiny over development impacts.
New York State has tested numerous Warren County water systems for PFAS contamination as part of its statewide PFAS sampling initiative. The Lake George area has faced particular attention given its status as a tourism and recreation hub. Systems drawing from Lake George and associated tributaries have generally shown lower PFAS levels than urban downstate systems, but detections have occurred. The EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program identified per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in several Adirondack region utilities at concentrations that may require treatment upgrades under the new federal Maximum Contaminant Levels taking effect in 2029.
Lead and copper remain concerns in older communities like Glens Falls, where service lines and household plumbing installed before the 1980s can leach metals into drinking water. New York's strengthened lead and copper rule requires utilities to proactively replace lead service lines, but thousands remain in use across the county. Private well owners face different challenges, including naturally occurring radon (common in granite bedrock throughout the Adirondacks), arsenic, and potential contamination from aging septic systems. Wells near former industrial sites in Glens Falls or near Route 9 commercial corridors may also show volatile organic compounds.
The county's rural character means agricultural runoff affects some watersheds, introducing nitrates and atrazine to groundwater in farming valleys. Road salt used heavily during long Adirondack winters accumulates in shallow wells and can elevate sodium and chloride levels. Seasonal population swings in lakeside communities strain aging infrastructure, and some older treatment plants lack the filtration necessary to remove emerging contaminants detected in source water.
If you receive municipal water, request your utility's latest Consumer Confidence Report to see contaminant test results specific to your system. Private well owners should test annually for bacteria, nitrates, and lead, and consider additional testing for PFAS and arsenic given regional patterns. Point-of-use filtration can address many contaminants that treatment plants miss or that leach from household plumbing. Check your water for current data in your ZIP code, review our water filter guide for certified treatment options, read the detailed report for full contaminant breakdowns, or visit the New York state page for statewide context on regulations and contamination trends.