Is Altoona, PA tap water safe?
Supplied by Altoona Water Authority · serves 62,500 people (23,379 connections) · Surface water · EPA ID PA4070023
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data.
- PFAS
- Not detectedNone of 29 PFAS found above EPA's reporting limits in 16 samples (2023–2025).
- Lead
- Below action level2.87 ppb (parts per billion) at the 90th percentile: 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it. Action level 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in Nov 2027. Monitoring period ending Sep 2025. Your home's pipes can make yours higher.
- Violations
- Resolved3 health-based violations since 2016, most recently Aug 2025.
- Built before 1986, or not sure what your service line is made of? Check your service line and test your tap. Utility data can't show your pipes.
- Tested your own tap? Compare your result with these numbers. Moving? Compare this system with another.
- Read Altoona Water Authority's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report). It lists every regulated contaminant tested and is usually on the utility's website or mailed with your bill, and you can also request it at (814) 949-2222. EPA: how to find it.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
EPA UCMR 5: 4 entry points tested Jun 2025 to Mar 2026. "Average" is the highest entry-point average (non-detects counted as zero), the way EPA compares UCMR 5 results to the limits. ppt = parts per trillion. These results do not determine compliance.
| Contaminant | Highest average |
|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected Limit 4 ppt | – |
| PFOS Not detected Limit 4 ppt | – |
| PFHxS Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| PFNA Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| Hazard Index (a combined score for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and PFBS, where above 1 is over the limit) Not detected Limit 1 | – |
| PFBS Not detected Guideline 2,000 ppt | – |
| PFBA Not detected Guideline 6,000 ppt | – |
| PFHxA Not detected Guideline 3,000 ppt | – |
Pennsylvania has its own PFAS limits. PFOA 14 ppt (this system's highest average: not detected), PFOS 18 ppt (this system's highest average: not detected). State compliance is judged on the state's own sampling, so ask the utility or the state program whether it meets them.
29 PFAS tested, 0 detected at least once. "Not detected" means below EPA's reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt depending on the chemical), not proven zero. PFAS not listed were not detected. The limits for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and the Hazard Index were proposed for rescission in May 2026. That proposal is not final. Systems have until 2029 to meet the limits.
Lithium
Not detected in 16 samples (reporting limit 9 ppb). About lithium.
Lead and copper
Latest 90th percentile: 2.87 ppb lead (Jun 2025 – Sep 2025). Below action level
| Monitoring period | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|
| Jun 2025 – Sep 2025 | 2.87 ppb |
| Jun 2022 – Sep 2022 | 1.55 ppb |
| Jun 2019 – Sep 2019 | 0.59 ppb |
Earlier results (9)
| Jun 2016 – Sep 2016 | 0 ppb |
| Jun 2013 – Sep 2013 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2012 – Dec 2012 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2011 – Dec 2011 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2010 – Dec 2010 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2009 – Dec 2009 | 1.91 ppb |
| Jan 2007 – Dec 2007 | 3.1 ppb |
| Jan 2003 – Dec 2003 | 4.5 ppb |
| Jan 2001 – Jun 2001 | 1 ppb |
Lead comes from pipes and fixtures, not the source water, so it varies home to home. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 sampled homes were at or below it. More on lead.
Violations
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | After positive bacteria tests, the system did not complete the required check of what went wrong. EPA record: Revised Total Coliform Rule · Treatment Technique, Level 1 Assessment (RTCR) Resolved |
| Aug 2025 | After repeated positive bacteria tests or E. coli, the system did not complete the required detailed investigation. EPA record: Revised Total Coliform Rule · Treatment Technique, Level 2 Assessment (RTCR) Resolved |
| May 2016 | A required step to remove or kill germs (filtration, disinfection or fixing a contaminated well) was not done properly. EPA record: Surface Water Treatment Rule · Treatment Technique (SWTR and GWR) (limit ) Resolved |
Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded a limit or a required treatment step was missed. Monitoring and reporting violations mean required tests or reports were late or missing, so the water's quality during that time is unknown. The total includes every violation in EPA's records, most of them paperwork.
Earlier EPA testing (2013–2020)
| Contaminant | Highest | Guideline |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 204 ppb | 300 ppb |
| Chromium-6 | 0.33 ppb | – |
| Strontium | 0.082 ppm | 1.5 ppm |
| Chlorate | 49 ppb | 210 ppb |
Where it serves
Altoona
ZIP codes the system reported serving: 16601, 16602, 16603, 16617, 16635, 16637, 16648, 16665, 16684, 16686
Nearby utilities
- State College Borough Water Authority State College · 35 mi
- Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County – Sweeney Plant Kiskiminetas · 57 mi
- Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County – Yough Plant Hempfield · 64 mi
- Carlisle Water Treatment Plant North Middleton · 65 mi · PFAS above limit
- North Middleton Water Authority North Middleton · 65 mi · PFAS above limit
- Pennsylvania American Water – West Dickinson · 66 mi · PFAS above limit
Questions
Is Altoona tap water safe to drink?
Most of Altoona gets its water from Altoona Water Authority. Altoona Water Authority had 3 health-based violations since 2016, all since resolved. EPA testing found no PFAS above the federal limits. Federal data can't tell you about your own pipes: lead comes from service lines and plumbing, so test your tap if your home was built before 1986. For the official word, read the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Altoona water have PFAS?
EPA tested Altoona Water Authority for 29 PFAS between Jun 2025 and Mar 2026 and none were detected above the reporting limits (about 2 to 20 ppt depending on the chemical).
What is the lead level in Altoona water?
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result for Altoona Water Authority is 2.87 ppb, for the period ending Sep 2025. The federal action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in November 2027. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below this number. Individual homes can be higher.
Check these numbers yourself
Every figure on this page comes from public EPA records. You don't have to take our word for it:
- EPA's own report for PA4070023: violations, enforcement and inspections, straight from EPA.
- EPA UCMR 5 data: the PFAS and lithium results (search the file for PWSID PA4070023).
- EPA SDWIS download: the lead results, population and violation records we use.
- The utility's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report): ask Altoona Water Authority at (814) 949-2222, or see EPA's guide to finding it.
Found something that doesn't match? Tell us and we'll check it against EPA's records. How we check our data.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.