Drinking water quality · 2023
· Verified
What's in Philadelphia, PA tap water
29 contaminants were measured in the Philadelphia, PA water system's 2023 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 1 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2023
- Contaminants measured
- 29
- Over federal limit
- 1
- Approaching the limit
- 1
- Worst contaminant
- pH
- Service area
- PA
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
2 PFAS compounds above EPA limits in Philadelphia, 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.
PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid)
● Over EPA limit (2.0×)near national p90 (13.649999999999999 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.5×)below national p90 (19.900000000000006 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFNA (Perfluorononanoic acid)
● Below limitbelow national p90 (25.08 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFHxA
● Detected (no federal limit)near national p90 (12.190000000000003 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFBA
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (18 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)near national p90 (15.95999999999999 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFBS
● Detected (no federal limit)near national p90 (13.909999999999979 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFHpA
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (9.309999999999999 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Philadelphia, PA's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 3 sources.
Source
- DELAWARE RIVER
- SCHUYLKILL RIVER B
- SCHUYLKILL RIVER Q
Treatment
- BAXTER
- BELMONT
- QUEEN LANE
Distribution
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
2 contaminants historically over EPA limits in Philadelphia, PA
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
HAA5 worst: 2013 | 0.136 mg/L 2.3× | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TTHM worst: 2018 | 0.145 mg/L 1.8× | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2018 | 5.04 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
ATRAZINE worst: 2013 | 0.0006 mg/L within near national p90 | 0.003 mg/L | '12'13'15'17 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2013 | 0.784 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CYANIDE worst: 2017 | 0.036 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.2 mg/L | '17 |
ANTIMONY worst: 2019 | 0.0005 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.006 mg/L | '16'17'19 |
BARIUM worst: 2015 | 0.062 mg/L within below national p90 | 2 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHROMIUM worst: 2013 | 0.003 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.1 mg/L | '13'14'16'19 |
TWOFOURD worst: 2017 | 0.0007 mg/L within near national p90 | 0.07 mg/L | '17 |
COPPER worst: 2012 | 0.007 mg/L below national p90 | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'19 |
LEAD worst: 2014 | 0.122 mg/L | — | '14'17'19 |
DBAA worst: 2018 | 0.001 mg/L | — | '18'19 |
DCAA worst: 2018 | 0.028 mg/L | — | '18'19 |
MBAA worst: 2018 | 0.001 mg/L | — | '18'19 |
MCAA worst: 2018 | 0.009 mg/L | — | '18'19 |
TCAA worst: 2018 | 0.034 mg/L | — | '18'19 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2013 | 0.0131 mg/L | — | '13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMOFORM worst: 2013 | 0.00059 mg/L | — | '13'14'16'17'18'19 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2013 | 0.03 mg/L | — | '13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2013 | 0.0059 mg/L | — | '13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pHA measure of how acidic or basic the water is. | 7.1–7.3RangeBelmont WTP | 6.5MCL | At or above the limit |
+By source (3)— Belmont WTP, Baxter WTP, Queen Lane WTP
| |||
| Total Dissolved SolidsTotal dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. | 216–471RangeQueen Lane WTP | 500MCL | Approaching the limit |
+By source (3)— Queen Lane WTP, Belmont WTP, Baxter WTP
| |||
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorideA naturally occurring salt compound. | 61–161RangeQueen Lane WTP | 250MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— Queen Lane WTP, Belmont WTP, Baxter WTP
| |||
| SulfateA naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. | 18.2–62RangeBelmont WTP | 250MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— Belmont WTP, Queen Lane WTP, Baxter WTP
| |||
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acidPerfluorohexanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 1.9MaximumSystem-wide | 10MCL | Within the limit |
| Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acidHFPO-DA ('GenX chemicals'), a newer-generation PFAS replacement compound. | 0MaximumSystem-wide | 10MCL | None detected |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| IronA naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. | 0–0.023RangeQueen Lane WTP | 0.3MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— Queen Lane WTP, Belmont WTP, Baxter WTP
| |||
| Chromium, TotalTotal chromium — the sum of all chromium forms, from natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0–2RangeSystem-wide | 100MCL | Within the limit |
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escherichia coli (E. coli)Escherichia coli — bacteria found in the gut of humans and animals. | 0 %Highest single sampleSystem-wide | 0 %MCLG | None detected |
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 0–2.4 %RangeSystem-wide | 0 %MCLG | Detected — no federal limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross AlphaGross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. | 228Reported levelColumn 2 | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| UraniumA naturally occurring radioactive metal from erosion of natural deposits. | 226Reported levelColumn 2 | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
VOCs & pesticides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benzene | 12Reported levelColumn 2 | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Philadelphia, PA's water
+Is Philadelphia, PA tap water safe to drink in 2023?
The 2023 Consumer Confidence Report for the Philadelphia, PA water utility lists 1 contaminant at or above the federal limit: pH. 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 Philadelphia, PA tap water?
29 contaminants were measured in Philadelphia, PA's 2023 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning pfas ("forever chemicals"), metals, and inorganic chemicals. 18 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 Philadelphia, PA tap water?
One contaminant in Philadelphia, PA's 2023 report sits at or above the federal limit: pH (1.1× 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 Philadelphia, PA tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2023 report is pH, at 1.1× the federal threshold. It belongs to the physical & aggregate family of contaminants.
+Are any contaminants in Philadelphia, PA tap water approaching the federal limit?
One contaminant is between 80% and 100% of the federal limit in this report: Total Dissolved Solids. Approaching means measured but not in violation — a margin that can close quickly if conditions change.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Philadelphia, PA's 2023 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 Philadelphia, 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 2023 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.