Water tanks help deliver drinking water to millions of New York City residents. In buildings with more than six floors, pumps push water to rooftop tanks where the water is stored until needed. When a faucet is opened, water exits the tank and gravity carries the water to the floors below to be used.
Owners of buildings in New York City that use tanks to store or pressurize the building’s drinking water must have the tanks inspected at least once each calendar year, and must submit the results of those inspections to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene by January 15 of the next calendar year. Inspection reports may be submitted online or by mail. If submitted by mail, the reports must be on the official form (provided below).
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Office of Public Health Engineering
Water Tank Inspection Reporting
42-09 28th Street, 14th Floor
Long Island City, NY 11101-4132
Building owners must make residents aware of their rights to review the inspection results. Look for notification signs in your building that provide information on who to contact. Building owners must keep inspection results and water quality test results for at least five years.
You can obtain a BIN for a specific street address at the Department of Buildings Building Information System (DOB BIS) or the Department of Planning Geographic Online Address Translator (GOAT). Once you have the BIN, you may look up the water inspection results for a building.
For more information, call 311.