What was found in Altoona's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 589 µg/L 5.9% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1340 µg/L — WESTWOOD PARK WATER CO · 95 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 50.275 µg/L 2.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 139.62 µg/L — WESTWOOD PARK WATER CO · 95 people · 2018 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 84.9 µg/L 6.5% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 90.08 µg/L — WESTWOOD PARK WATER CO · 95 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 54.235 µg/L 68% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 50.16 µg/L 836% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 6 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 45.715 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 17.86 µg/L 30% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 14.705 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 7.9135 µg/L 53% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 7.662 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 7.291 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Bromate | 4.725 µg/L 47% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 4.304 µg/L 8.6% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 0.5534 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 4.04 µg/L — WESTWOOD PARK WATER CO · 95 people · 2018 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 3.894 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 3.202 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 2.92 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.48 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 2.441 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 0.5000 µg/L 8.3% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 0.3760 µg/L 3.8% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 2/2 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 0.2040 µg/L 4.1% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2019 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Beryllium, Total | 0.1730 µg/L 4.3% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Highest in the city: WESTWOOD PARK WATER CO · 95 people · 2018 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 0.0510 µg/L 2.6% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: WESTWOOD PARK WATER CO · 95 people · 2018 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Chlordane | 0.0301 µg/L 1.5% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2017 | 1/2 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0029 mg/L 19% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY · 62,500 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0209 mg/L — WESTWOOD PARK WATER CO · 95 people · 1993 | 2/2 | LCR |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Altoona
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY | 62,500 |
| WESTWOOD PARK WATER CO | 95 |
Frequently asked questions about Altoona tap water
Is Altoona tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 26 contaminants in the water serving Altoona. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Altoona?
2 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Altoona, Pennsylvania to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Altoona's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Altoona include Nitrate, Barium, Copper, TTHM, Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.