Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Allentown, PA tap water
26 contaminants were measured in the Allentown, PA water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 2 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 26
- Over federal limit
- 2
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- PFOS
- Service area
- PA
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound above EPA limits in Allentown, PA
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.1×)PFHxA
● Detected (no federal limit)PFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)PFBS
● Detected (no federal limit)Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Allentown, PA's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 4 sources.
Source
- LITTLE LEHIGH CREEK
- CRYSTAL SPRING
- SCHANTZ SPRING
- LEHIGH RIVER
Treatment
- ALLENTOWN WTP
- CRYSTAL SPRING TRMT
- SCHANTZ SPRING TRMT
- + 2 more
Distribution
Compliance history
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act violation & enforcement records (EPA SDWIS). A violation is a regulatory determination by the state or EPA — separate from the measured levels above.
- Treatment technique violationHealth-based1 violation on record · most recent Feb 1995resolved
Source: EPA SDWIS / ECHO. View the full federal record on EPA ECHO ↗
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOAPerfluorooctanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in nonstick and stain-resistant products. | 2.29–6.08 ng/LRangeof LCA's Test Results | 4 ng/LMCL | At or above the limit |
+By source (2)— of LCA's Test Results, LCA's Water Test Results
| |||
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acidPerfluorohexanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 0.77 ng/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 0–47.1 ug/LRangeof LCA's Test Results | None set | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— of LCA's Test Results, LCA's Water Test Results
| |||
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 6.8–34.6 ug/LRangeof LCA's Test Results | None set | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— of LCA's Test Results, LCA's Water Test Results
| |||
VOCs & pesticides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TetrachloroethyleneAn industrial solvent (PCE) used in dry cleaning and degreasing. | 2.9 ug/LReported levelLCA's Water Test Results | 5 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— LCA's Water Test Results, of LCA's Test Results
| |||
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 4.96 mg/LReported levelLCA's Water Test Results | 10 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— LCA's Water Test Results, of LCA's Test Results
| |||
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.55 mg/LReported levelLCA's Water Test Results | 4 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— LCA's Water Test Results, of LCA's Test Results
| |||
| Asbestos | 0.17 MFLReported levelLCA's Water Test Results | 7 MFLMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— LCA's Water Test Results, of LCA's Test Results
| |||
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 7 ug/L90th percentileAt the tap | None set | Within the limit |
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.083 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1.3 mg/LAction level | Within the limit |
| SeleniumA trace element from natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 2 ug/LReported levelLCA's Water Test Results | None set | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— LCA's Water Test Results, of LCA's Test Results
| |||
| BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0.052 mg/LReported levelLCA's Water Test Results | 2 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— LCA's Water Test Results, of LCA's Test Results
| |||
| IronA naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. | Not detected mg/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | None detected |
| ManganeseA naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. | Not detected mg/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | None detected |
| CalciumA naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. | 67.9 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| MagnesiumA naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. | 29.1 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 50.8 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 0.27–1.22 mg/LRangeof LCA's Test Results | None set | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— of LCA's Test Results, LCA's Water Test Results
| |||
Other
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromium | 1 ug/LReported levelLCA's Water Test Results | None set | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— LCA's Water Test Results, of LCA's Test Results
| |||
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlkalinityA measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. | 173 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| HardnessA measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. | 15AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| pHA measure of how acidic or basic the water is. | 7.66AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Dissolved SolidsTotal dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. | 412.5 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.097 %Reported levelLCA's Water Test Results | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Allentown, PA's water
+Is Allentown, PA tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the Allentown, PA water utility lists 2 contaminants at or above the federal limit: PFOS and PFOA. Whether that means the water is "unsafe" depends on which contaminant, how long the exposure, and individual health factors. The table on this page shows the measured value, the federal threshold, and the regulated statistic used for compliance.
+What contaminants are in Allentown, PA tap water?
26 contaminants were measured in Allentown, PA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, physical & aggregate, and pfas ("forever chemicals"). 8 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Which contaminants exceed federal limits in Allentown, PA tap water?
2 contaminants in Allentown, PA's 2024 report sit at or above the federal limit: PFOS (1.7× the limit); PFOA (1.5× the limit). The EPA enforces these limits against the regulated reporting statistic — typically a running annual average or 90th percentile — not a one-off sample spike.
+What is the worst contaminant in Allentown, PA tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is PFOS, at 1.7× the federal threshold. It belongs to the pfas ("forever chemicals") family of contaminants.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Allentown, PA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Allentown, PA's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.