What was found in Erie'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 | 600 µg/L 6% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 9705 µg/L — WEST SPRINGFIELD MOBILE HM PK · 90 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 709.8 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 110 µg/L 8.5% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 465.3 µg/L — MILLFAIR HEIGHTS WATER SYSTEM · 390 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 460 µg/L 4.6% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 25.15 µg/L 1.3% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 375.25 µg/L — SUMMIT TOWNSHIP WATER AUTHORIT · 12,500 people · 2018 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 87.2 µg/L 109% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 91.17 µg/L — SUMMIT TOWNSHIP WATER AUTHORIT · 12,500 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 66.57 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 47.45 µg/L 79% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 50.54 µg/L — MCKEAN TWP WATERWORKS · 1,048 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 48 µg/L 48% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 5.455 µg/L 36% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 26.06 µg/L — MCKEAN TWP WATERWORKS · 1,048 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 23 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 22 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 17.12 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 20 µg/L — SUMMIT TOWNSHIP WATER AUTHORIT · 12,500 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 6.5505 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 12.85 µg/L — SUMMIT TOWNSHIP WATER AUTHORIT · 12,500 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 4.4 µg/L 44% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 12.7 µg/L — SUMMIT TOWNSHIP WATER AUTHORIT · 12,500 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 12.5 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 8.695 µg/L 8.7% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 8.4325 µg/L 141% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 6 µg/L Highest in the city: SUMMIT TOWNSHIP WATER AUTHORIT · 12,500 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 0.7910 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7.4595 µg/L — SUMMIT TOWNSHIP WATER AUTHORIT · 12,500 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 6.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MCKEAN TWP WATERWORKS · 1,048 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 4.2316 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.44 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3.6965 µg/L — SUMMIT TOWNSHIP WATER AUTHORIT · 12,500 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 3.3 µg/L 6.6% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 2.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.454 µg/L — SUMMIT TOWNSHIP WATER AUTHORIT · 12,500 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 2.19 µg/L 0.3% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 0.3950 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.0838 µg/L 2.8% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0011 mg/L 7.2% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY · 220,001 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0046 mg/L — MILLFAIR HEIGHTS WATER SYSTEM · 390 people · 1996 | 4/5 | 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 Erie
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| ERIE CITY WATER AUTHORITY | 220,001 |
| SUMMIT TOWNSHIP WATER AUTHORIT | 12,500 |
| MCKEAN TWP WATERWORKS | 1,048 |
| MILLFAIR HEIGHTS WATER SYSTEM | 390 |
| WEST SPRINGFIELD MOBILE HM PK | 90 |
Frequently asked questions about Erie tap water
Is Erie tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 28 contaminants in the water serving Erie. 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 Erie?
5 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Erie, Pennsylvania to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Erie's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Erie include Nitrate, Fluoride, Copper, Nitrate-Nitrite, Barium. 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.