Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Pittsburgh, PA tap water
11 contaminants were measured in the Pittsburgh, PA water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 4 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 11
- Over federal limit
- 4
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- Chlorine
- Service area
- PA
- ChlorineDisinfectants · Reported level104 mg/Llimit 0.2 mg/L · 520.0× the limit
- FluorideInorganic chemicals · Reported level101 mg/Llimit 2 mg/L · 50.5× the limit
- NitrateInorganic chemicals · Reported level101 mg/Llimit 10 mg/L · 10.1× the limit
- TTHMDisinfection byproducts · Range17–119 ug/Llimit 80 ug/L · 1.5× the limit
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Pittsburgh, PA's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 1 source.
Source
- ALLEGHENY RIV MP 8#2
Treatment
- HIGHLAND #2 RES BSTR
- PITTSBURGH WTP
- LANPHER RESERVOIR
- + 7 more
Distribution
Also buys water from PA AMER WATER CO-PITTSBURGH.
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
1 contaminant historically over EPA limits in Pittsburgh, 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
TTHM worst: 2014 | 0.127 mg/L 1.6× | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHLORINE FREE worst: 2018 | 2.8 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '18'19 |
HAA5 worst: 2019 | 0.0386 mg/L within | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2012 | 1 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CYANIDE worst: 2017 | 0.045 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.2 mg/L | '17 |
NITRATE worst: 2014 | 1.77 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRITE worst: 2017 | 0.09 mg/L within | 1 mg/L | '14'17 |
BARIUM worst: 2015 | 0.05 mg/L within below national p90 | 2 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'19 |
COPPER worst: 2013 | 0.468 mg/L below national p90 | — | '13'16'17'18'19 |
LEAD worst: 2013 | 0.083 mg/L | — | '13'16'17'18'19 |
DBAA worst: 2018 | 0.00342 mg/L | — | '18'19 |
DCAA worst: 2018 | 0.0117 mg/L | — | '18'19 |
MCAA worst: 2018 | 0.00393 mg/L | — | '18 |
TCAA worst: 2018 | 0.0121 mg/L | — | '18'19 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0285 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMOFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0353 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0142 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0397 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 104 mg/LReported levelEntry Point | 0.2 mg/LMRDL | At or above the limit |
Metals
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 24–50 %RangeSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.107Reported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Pittsburgh, PA's water
+Is Pittsburgh, PA tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the Pittsburgh, PA water utility lists 4 contaminants at or above the federal limit: Chlorine, Fluoride, Nitrate, and TTHM. 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 Pittsburgh, PA tap water?
11 contaminants were measured in Pittsburgh, PA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, disinfection byproducts, and inorganic chemicals. 7 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 Pittsburgh, PA tap water?
4 contaminants in Pittsburgh, PA's 2024 report sit at or above the federal limit: Chlorine (520.0× the limit); Fluoride (50.5× the limit); Nitrate (10.1× the limit); TTHM (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 Pittsburgh, PA tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is Chlorine, at 520.0× the federal threshold. It belongs to the disinfectants family of contaminants.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Pittsburgh, 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 Pittsburgh, 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.