What was found in Pottsville'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 | 98 µg/L 1% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3520 µg/L — SCMA PINEBROOK · 735 people · 2019 | 4/6 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 380.6 µg/L 29% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1522.5 µg/L — SCMA PINEBROOK · 735 people · 2019 | 6/6 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 18.495 µg/L 0.9% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 61.83 µg/L — SCMA-TREMONT · 2,515 people · 2018 | 5/6 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 41.76 µg/L 52% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019 | 6/6 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 41.38 µg/L 69% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019 | 5/6 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 36.77 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019 | 6/6 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 13.54 µg/L 90% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 24.25 µg/L — SCMA-TREMONT · 2,515 people · 2019 | 5/6 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 14 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019 | 4/6 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 13 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019 | 3/6 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 5.18 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7.07 µg/L — SCMA ORWIGSBURG CONSECUTIVE · 500 people · 2019 | 6/6 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 1.509 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3.595 µg/L — SCMA ORWIGSBURG CONSECUTIVE · 500 people · 2019 | 6/6 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 3.296 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MOREA CITIZENS WATER COMPANY · 225 people · 2018 | 3/6 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 2.445 µg/L 2.4% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: SCMA PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP · 260 people · 2018 | 3/6 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 0.3950 µg/L 0.8% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.3145 µg/L — SCMA PINEBROOK · 735 people · 2018 | 5/6 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 1.525 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019 | 4/6 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 1.265 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: SCMA PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP · 260 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 0.7530 µg/L 38% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019 | 2/6 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 0.1409 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2012
Highest in the city: 0.2596 µg/L — SCMA-TREMONT · 2,515 people · 2012 | 5/6 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 0.0900 µg/L 1.5% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Highest in the city: SCMA PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP · 260 people · 2018 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Beryllium, Total | 0.0748 µg/L 1.9% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019 | 2/6 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 0.0697 µg/L 1.4% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0011 mg/L 7.3% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH · 31,850 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0400 mg/L — SCMA-TREMONT · 2,515 people · 1995 | 5/6 | 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 Pottsville
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| SCHUYLKILL CO MUN AUTH | 31,850 |
| SCMA-TREMONT | 2,515 |
| SCMA PINEBROOK | 735 |
| SCMA ORWIGSBURG CONSECUTIVE | 500 |
| SCMA PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP | 260 |
| MOREA CITIZENS WATER COMPANY | 225 |
Frequently asked questions about Pottsville tap water
Is Pottsville tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 22 contaminants in the water serving Pottsville. 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 Pottsville?
6 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Pottsville, Pennsylvania to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Pottsville's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Pottsville include Nitrate, Copper, Barium, 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.