# Philadelphia, PA — Drinking Water Quality (2023)

> Contaminant levels for the Philadelphia, PA public water system from its 2023 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/pa/philadelphia/2023
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/pa/philadelphia/2023
- Source: the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- Verification: transcribed by a model, cross-checked by a second model, approved before publishing
- Reporting year: 2023
- Contaminants measured: 29
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 18
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 1
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 43 (Running annual avg) | Running Annual Average 2024 | 60 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 51 (Running annual avg) | Running Annual Average 2024 | 80 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Chloride | Inorganic chemicals | 61–161 (Range) | Queen Lane WTP | 250 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.624 (Highest single sample) | System-wide | 2 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Nitrate | Inorganic chemicals | 4.52 (Highest single sample) | System-wide | 10 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Sulfate | Inorganic chemicals | 18.2–62 (Range) | Belmont WTP | 250 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Antimony | Metals | 0–0.0006 (Range) | System-wide | 0.006 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Barium | Metals | 0.046 (Highest single sample) | System-wide | 2 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Chromium, Total | Metals | 0–2 (Range) | System-wide | 100 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Copper | Metals | 0.219 % (90th percentile) | At the tap | 90 % (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Iron | Metals | 0–0.023 (Range) | Queen Lane WTP | 0.3 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Lead | Metals | 2 % (90th percentile) | At the tap | 90 % (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Escherichia coli (E. coli) | Microbial | 0 % (Highest single sample) | System-wide | 0 % (MCLG) | None detected |
| Total Coliform | Microbial | 0–2.4 % (Range) | System-wide | 0 % (MCLG) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0 (Maximum) | System-wide | 10 (MCL) | None detected |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 3.6 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 1 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 1.9 (Maximum) | System-wide | 10 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 5 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorononanoic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.8 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluoropentanoic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 4.9 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFBA | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 2.3 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFOA | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 4.6 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFOS | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 3.6 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| pH | Physical & aggregate | 7.1–7.3 (Range) | Belmont WTP | 6.5 (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Physical & aggregate | 216–471 (Range) | Queen Lane WTP | 500 (MCL) | Approaching the limit |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 228 (Reported level) | Column 2 | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Uranium | Radionuclides | 226 (Reported level) | Column 2 | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Benzene | VOCs & pesticides | 12 (Reported level) | Column 2 | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |

## What these contaminants are

- **HAA5** — Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is associated with an increased cancer risk.
- **TTHM** — Total trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is linked to liver, kidney, and central-nervous-system effects and increased cancer risk.
- **Chloride** — A naturally occurring salt compound. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels cause a salty taste and can corrode pipes.
- **Fluoride** — A mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. Beneficial at low levels, but long-term exposure above the federal limit can cause bone disease and tooth mottling.
- **Nitrate** — A compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. Levels above the federal limit can cause 'blue baby syndrome,' a serious oxygen-transport condition in infants.
- **Sulfate** — A naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. No health-based federal limit; high levels can have a laxative effect and a bitter taste.
- **Barium** — A metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can raise blood pressure.
- **Chromium, Total** — Total chromium — the sum of all chromium forms, from natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can cause allergic dermatitis; includes hexavalent chromium.
- **Copper** — A metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. Short-term exposure causes stomach distress; long-term exposure can damage the liver and kidneys.
- **Iron** — A naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; causes rusty color, staining, and metallic taste.
- **Lead** — A toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. There is no safe level of lead; it harms brain development in children and raises blood pressure in adults. The EPA sets an action level, not a health goal above zero.
- **Escherichia coli (E. coli)** — Escherichia coli — bacteria found in the gut of humans and animals. Its presence in drinking water indicates fecal contamination and a real risk of waterborne illness.
- **Total Coliform** — A group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. Coliforms themselves are usually harmless, but their presence signals that disease-causing organisms could enter the system.
- **Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid** — HFPO-DA ('GenX chemicals'), a newer-generation PFAS replacement compound. Regulated by the EPA at 10 parts per trillion and included in the PFAS Hazard Index.
- **Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid** — Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Has no standalone limit but is part of the EPA PFAS Hazard Index that limits PFAS in combination.
- **Perfluoroheptanoic acid** — Perfluoroheptanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent in the environment.
- **Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid** — Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' Regulated by the EPA at 10 parts per trillion and included in the PFAS Hazard Index.
- **Perfluorohexanoic acid** — Perfluorohexanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent and widely detected.
- **Perfluorononanoic acid** — Perfluorononanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' Regulated by the EPA at 10 parts per trillion and included in the PFAS Hazard Index.
- **Perfluoropentanoic acid** — Perfluoropentanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent in the environment.
- **PFBA** — Perfluorobutanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent in the environment and the human body.
- **PFOA** — Perfluorooctanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in nonstick and stain-resistant products. Linked to cancer, liver damage, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.
- **PFOS** — Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in firefighting foam and coatings. Linked to cancer, thyroid disease, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.
- **pH** — A measure of how acidic or basic the water is. Regulated only as a secondary standard; very low or high pH can corrode pipes or affect taste.
- **Total Dissolved Solids** — Total dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels affect taste and hardness.
- **Gross Alpha** — Gross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases cancer risk.
- **Uranium** — A naturally occurring radioactive metal from erosion of natural deposits. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can damage the kidneys and increase cancer risk.

## How to read this

- A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
- 'Federal limit' is the EPA standard (MCL, action level, treatment technique, etc.) that the measured level is compared against.
- 'At or above the federal limit' means the utility's own reported figure met or exceeded that standard.

_Figures are the utility's own published numbers. Generated 2026-05-25 from thewatermap.com._