Times Square Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) supplies water to Times Square in Manhattan, serving all five boroughs and approximately 9 million residents plus visitors. Primary sources are 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes in the Catskill/Delaware system, accessed via the Hillview Reservoir intake, and the Croton system upstate. Water is gravity-fed via aqueducts without pumping; raw water is disinfected with chloramine at upstate facilities and fluoridated to 0.7 mg/L citywide, with UV disinfection at the Delaware Aqueduct. No treatment plants operate in Manhattan itself.

The Catskill/Delaware Watershed (90% of supply) spans 2,000 square miles in the Catskill Mountains, underlain by ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks — schist and gneiss — with forested cover limiting erosion and runoff. The Croton Watershed (10%) features similar geology plus some glacial deposits, contributing a slightly more mineralised character. Low-carbonate bedrock yields naturally soft water at 30.8 mg/L from the Catskill/Delaware system; blending with Croton water produces the citywide supply, which remains soft overall.

Soft water at 30.8 mg/L produces minimal scale buildup in kettles, coffee makers, and showerheads. Dishwashers and washing machines typically need less detergent. pH typically ranges 7.0–8.0; NYC DEP meets EPA lead/copper rules citywide, though older buildings risk pipe leaching — first-draw testing is advised. Recent reports note PFAS below advisory levels and low THMs/HAAs from chloramine disinfection; occasional turbidity from runoff is monitored. No filtration is needed for the Catskill/Delaware supply due to its protected, forested watersheds.