PFAS ("forever chemicals") · 2023

PFOA in Philadelphia, PA tap water

Over the federal limit· 1.1× the limit

Philadelphia, PA's 2023 Consumer Confidence Report shows PFOA at or above the federal limit (4 ng/L MCL). Measured value is 1.1× the threshold.

The measurement

StatisticValue
Maximum
System-wide
7.3 ng/L
Range
System-wide
2.5–7.3 ng/L
Average
System-wide
4.6 ng/L
Range
System-wide
0–8.1 ng/L

Verbatim from Philadelphia, PA's 2023 Consumer Confidence Report — source document ↗

About 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.

People also ask

+Is there PFOA in Philadelphia, PA tap water?

Yes — Philadelphia, PA's 2023 Consumer Confidence Report lists PFOA at 4.6 ng/L. Philadelphia, PA's 2023 Consumer Confidence Report shows PFOA at or above the federal limit (4 ng/L MCL). Measured value is 1.1× the threshold.

+What's the federal limit for PFOA in drinking water?

The federal MCL for PFOA is 4 ng/L. The EPA enforces this against the regulated reporting statistic (running annual average or 90th percentile), not a single-sample spike.

+What is 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.

+Where does this PFOA measurement come from?

This page reproduces the PFOA entry from the 2023 Consumer Confidence Report published by the Philadelphia, PA water utility — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived at /water/pa/philadelphia/2023/source.

Full report
All Philadelphia, PA water-quality data →
Every contaminant measured in the 2023 report.
Contaminant pillar
PFOA across the U.S. →
Every public water system measuring PFOA, ranked.