UNIVERSAL PLASTICS
PWS ID: NY4721656 · HOWES CAVE, New York 12092
UNIVERSAL PLASTICS serves 80 people in HOWES CAVE, New York using Groundwater water sources. It has 27 recorded EPA violations, including 12 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.
Water Quality Snapshot: UNIVERSAL PLASTICS
UNIVERSAL PLASTICS is a private-owned non-transient non-community water system that delivers drinking water to 80 residents in HOWES CAVE, New York (Schoharie County) through 1 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 27 total violations for this system , of which 12 (44%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 11 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2025.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Arsenic, recorded in 12 violations (MCL, health-based). This system has not yet been sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, so no PFAS detection data is available here.
Across New York, EPA tracks 8,098 public water systems serving 19,294,951 people, with 552,003 cumulative violations and 26,817 health-based violations on record. About 94% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 68.2 violations. UNIVERSAL PLASTICS's 27 violations sit below the New York average. Statewide, 129 of 332 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (38.9%). All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.
System Details
- System Type
- Non-Transient Non-Community
- Owner Type
- Private
- Connections
- 1
- County
- Schoharie
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 12
- Monitoring Violations
- 11
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 0
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | MCL | 12 | 2025 |
| Nitrate | MR | 5 | 2004 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 3 | 2018 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 3 | 2022 |
Verify This Water System
The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records — or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status — go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for UNIVERSAL PLASTICS.
EPA SDWIS — Federal Reports
EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:
View PWS ID NY4721656 on SDWISSource: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search
New York Drinking Water Authority
New York State Department of Health — Public Water Systems is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects UNIVERSAL PLASTICS under EPA-delegated authority.
Open NY regulator portalSource: New York State Department of Health — Public Water Systems
Violation Timeline
Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.
| Year (latest) | Contaminant | Category | Count | EPA Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Arsenic | MCL | 12 | SDWIS / NY4721656 / 1005 |
| 2022 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 3 | SDWIS / NY4721656 / 8000 |
| 2018 | Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 3 | SDWIS / NY4721656 / 2456 |
| 2004 | Nitrate | MR | 5 | SDWIS / NY4721656 / 1040 |
How UNIVERSAL PLASTICS Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | UNIVERSAL PLASTICS | New York avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 27 | 68.2 | SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 12 | 3.3 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | None | 38.9% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 80 | 2,383 | Sizing context for compliance burden |
Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 8,098 regulated public water systems in New York.
Federal MCL reference — Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
| Contaminant | Federal MCL / Action Level | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) | Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique |
| Arsenic | 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) | Health-based MCL since 2006 |
| Total Coliform | Treatment technique (RTCR) | Indicator organism, monitoring trigger |
| PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) | 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) | Compliance deadline 2029 |
| Nitrate (as N) | 10 mg/L | Acute health risk for infants |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is UNIVERSAL PLASTICS water safe to drink? ▼
How many people does UNIVERSAL PLASTICS serve? ▼
What type of violations does UNIVERSAL PLASTICS have? ▼
Has PFAS been detected in UNIVERSAL PLASTICS water? ▼
What water source does UNIVERSAL PLASTICS use? ▼
Where does this data come from? ▼
Explore PlainWater
Related Data for New York
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.