For NYC landlords · Water tanks
The water tank inspected every year, reported by January 15.
A building whose drinking water sits in a tank has it inspected and sampled every year, and the inspector reports the results to DOHMH by January 15. The inspection, the lab results, the report and the cleanings sit on the building’s file, with each date counted for you.
- On for the buildings with a tank
- January 15 counted
- 14 days free, no card
- BldgWater tank inspection 2026Inspected May 4 · sample cleanDone
- BldgClean the water tankCleaned Apr 2 · next by Apr 2, 2027Done
- BldgWater tank noticePosted Apr 2 · photo on fileDone
- BldgWater tank report 2026The inspector submits by Jan 15Soon
Sample data. Not real records.
Why the records matter
One tank, three dates.
The inspection belongs to the calendar year, the report to the January after, and the cleaning to the last one.
Every calendar year, an inspection of the tank inside and out, with photos, and a water sample tested for coliform and E. coli at a State-certified lab.
NYC Admin Code §17-194(b); Health Code §141.07(b)The inspector reports last year’s results to DOHMH online. A missing report counts as a missing inspection: $500 for each year, $1,000 by default.
24 RCNY §31-02(a); §31-03 and Appendix 31-AThe reports, lab results, photos and cleaning records, kept five years and produced within five business days when DOHMH asks.
NYC Admin Code §17-194(b); Health Code §141.09(f)What the law asks
An inspection a year, a report every January.
Any building whose drinking water is stored in a tank, whatever its size: a roof tank, a basement suction tank, a tank that also feeds the sprinklers. Stand-alone fire tanks and hot-water heaters are not covered.
Last verified Oct 14, 2026
- 01The yearly inspectionBy a licensed master plumber (or someone working under one), an engineer or an architect, between January 1 and December 31: the tank’s structure, overflow, vents, ladders and hatches, and its sanitary state, with photos inside and out.
- 02The water sampleColiform and E. coli, tested at a State-certified lab, one sample per tank. Bacteria found: tell DOHMH within 24 hours, and clean and disinfect the tank if its condition caused it.
- 03The report by January 15The inspector submits last year’s results on DOHMH’s reporting site. Keep the receipt with its WTI number.
- 04Drained and cleaned every yearHouse and suction tanks are drained and cleaned at least once a year, then disinfected, by the inspector, a licensed master plumber or a licensed applicator. Keep the date and the products used.
- 05The notice for tenantsIn a frame with a clear cover where tenants can see it: the results are on file, who to ask, and DOHMH’s contact. A tenant who asks gets a copy within five business days.
- 06Five years of recordsInspection reports, lab results, photos and cleaning records, kept at least five years.
Your year
The tank year, on one calendar.
- Jan 1 – Dec 31Inspect and sampleAny day in the year, with photos and a lab sample.
- By Jan 15Report to DOHMHLast year’s results, submitted by the inspector. Record the receipt.
- Every 12 monthsDrain and cleanFrom the last cleaning, and at once after a dirty sample.
- All yearThe noticeFramed where tenants can see it.
How it works
Every unit, every deadline, every report. One file.
- 01
Add your buildings
Address, year built and every unit. Type them in or import a CSV from your spreadsheet.
- 02
See what each unit owes
The app lists what each unit owes under NYC’s laws as we read them, and when. You get a reminder before each deadline.
- 03
Log it on your phone
Notices, tenant replies, visits, clearances and certificates, each with its date and the report or photo.
- 04
Hand over one file
When HPD asks, download every record for a building as one PDF, in the order HPD asks for them.
Pricing
14 days free. Then a plan by your units.
No card to start. Four plans by the number of units you track; pay yearly and two months are free. Common areas and buildings you have sold are not counted. Unlimited people, records and photos on every plan. Stop paying and the account moves to a free Archive plan: every record stays readable and downloadable, nothing new can be added.
Starter
Up to 10 units
$9/ month
or $90 a year
A house with a rented unit, a two- or three-family, a small building.
Building
Up to 40 units
$39/ month
or $390 a year
A few buildings, or one larger one.
Portfolio
Up to 120 units
$99/ month
or $990 a year
A portfolio across the city.
Manager
Up to 500 units
$349/ month
or $3490 a year
A management company.
Over 500 units: from $0.40 a unit a month, at least $349 a month, billed yearly on an invoice. Email [email protected].
FAQ
Straight answers.
Something else? Email [email protected]
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- Energy benchmarking, the grade label and LL97
Does every building with a roof tank need this?
Every building whose drinking water is stored in a tank, with no size or unit threshold. A tank used only for the sprinklers, or a hot-water heater, is not covered; a tank that holds drinking water and sprinkler water both is.
Who submits the report?
The water tank inspector, on DOHMH’s reporting site, by January 15 for last year’s inspection. The owner is the one fined if it is missing: $500 for each year, $1,000 by default.
What if the sample finds bacteria?
Tell DOHMH within 24 hours and, if the tank’s condition caused it, drain, clean and disinfect it. Missing either is a $500 summons.
Does ViolationProof submit the report?
No. Your inspector submits it. ViolationProof counts the year and January 15, flags a dirty sample, and keeps the reports, lab results and cleanings on the building’s file for five years.
Start
Your water tanks, inspected every year.
Add your buildings, switch on water tanks where you have one, record the last inspection and cleaning, and see what is due before January 15. 14 days free, no card; then from $9 a month.
Start free- 14 days free, no card
- Sign in with a code from your email, no password
- Your records stay yours: download the file any time, and if you stop paying they stay readable on a free Archive plan
Units somewhere we don’t cover yet, or a question about your city’s law? Tell us where you are, and we write back.
Sources
- NYC Administrative Code §17-194 (water tanks)
- NYC Health Code §141.07 (inspection of drinking water tanks)
- 24 RCNY §31-02 (the yearly report)
- 24 RCNY Chapter 31 with Appendix 31-A (penalties)
- DOHMH: drinking water tank inspection reporting
- DOHMH: drinking water tank annual inspection
- DOHMH: elements and requirements of the inspection
- 2022 NYC Plumbing Code, Chapter 6 (§606.5.4.3)
This page summarizes NYC Administrative Code §17-194, Health Code §141.07 and 24 RCNY §31-02 (drinking-water tanks) for owners. It is not legal advice. ViolationProof is not affiliated with NYC DOHMH or the U.S. EPA.