What was found in Philadelphia'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 | 4042 µg/L 40% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 758 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 332.9 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 78.92 µg/L 99% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 58 µg/L 97% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 57.06 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 51.55 µg/L 2.6% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 35.35 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 33.82 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 32.2 µg/L 215% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 µg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 21.72 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 21 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 9 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 2.6 µg/L 2.6% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.0895 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 2.025 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| 2,4-D | 0.6950 µg/L 1% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.5250 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 0.4800 µg/L 8% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| PFBS | 0.0100 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0099 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0091 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0081 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfba | 0.0076 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOS | 0.0060 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFNA | 0.0045 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0033 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0020 mg/L 13% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · 1,600,000 people · 2025 | 1/1 | 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 Philadelphia
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT | 1,600,000 |
Frequently asked questions about Philadelphia tap water
Is Philadelphia tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 30 contaminants in the water serving Philadelphia. 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 Philadelphia?
1 public water supplier report drinking-water monitoring for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Philadelphia's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Philadelphia include Nitrate, Fluoride, Copper, TTHM, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5). 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.