Is State College, 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 State College Borough Water Authority.
2 public water systems serve parts of State College. The largest, State College Borough Water Authority, serves 72,000 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
State College Borough Water Authority
72,000 people · Surface water · EPA ID PA4140096
| 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: 0
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.
State College homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for State College borough (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Which system serves your ZIP code
Based on the ZIP codes each system reported serving. Boundaries don't follow ZIP lines exactly, so your water bill is the final word.
| System | ZIP codes in State College |
|---|---|
| State College Borough Water Authority 72,000 people | 16801 |
| Penn State Univ Water System 37,000 people | 16802 |
Other water systems serving State College
- Penn State Univ Water System37,000 people · Groundwater · Pennsylvania · reported ZIPs hereLead near 2027 level
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Altoona 34 mi Altoona Water Authority | None above limits | 2.87 ppb |
| Susquehanna 61 mi Veolia Water | None above limits | 2.1 ppb |
| Harrisburg 62 mi Capital Region Water | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Lower Paxton 64 mi Capital Region Water | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Swatara 67 mi Veolia Water | None above limits | 2.1 ppb |
| Derry 73 mi Pennsylvania American Water | None above limits | 3 ppb |
Questions
Is State College tap water safe to drink?
State College Borough Water Authority has had no health-based violations 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 State College, PA?
2 public water systems serve parts of State College. The largest is State College Borough Water Authority (72,000 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does State College tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. State College Borough Water 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 State College homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 67% of State College 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. State College Borough Water 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.