Is Plum, PA tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for Plum Borough Municipal Authority.
Plum Borough Municipal Authority supplies Plum (27,500 people).
Water system
Plum Borough Municipal Authority
27,500 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID PA5020041
Buys treated water from Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County – Sweeney Plant, Monroeville Municipal Authority.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 3.7 ppb at the 90th percentile (Sep 2025, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 1
Across Pennsylvania, 85 of 360 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 76 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Pennsylvania results.
Plum homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Plum borough (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Monroeville 5 mi Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority | None above limits | 9.78 ppb |
| Shaler 11 mi Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority | None above limits | 2 ppb |
| North Huntingdon 12 mi Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County – Sweeney Plant | None above limits | 3.48 ppb |
| Pittsburgh 13 mi Pennsylvania American Water – Pittsburgh | None above limits | 4 ppb |
| Ross 15 mi West View Water Authority | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Hempfield 17 mi Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County – Yough Plant | None above limits | 0 ppb |
Plum ZIP codes (1)
- 15239
Questions
Is Plum tap water safe to drink?
Plum Borough Municipal Authority had 1 health-based violation since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Plum, PA?
Plum Borough Municipal Authority, which serves 27,500 people.
Does Plum tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Plum Borough Municipal Authority had no PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2025 testing. "Not detected" means below the reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt), not proven zero.
Do Plum homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 62% of Plum homes as built before 1980 (Pennsylvania: 67%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Plum Borough Municipal Authority's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.