Loading water data...
Not health advice. Contact your local water utility for concerns.
Data from EPA Water Quality Reports. For official information, contact your water utility or health department.
Side-by-side EPA records for the two public water systems · EPA SDWIS/ECHO 2026Q2 · UCMR5 (2023–2026, July 2026 release) · SYR4 six-year review 2012–2019 · methodology
Pittsburgh has the better EPA record — grade A (100/100) vs grade D (69/100).
PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT · serves 1,600,000
PA AMER WATER CO-PITTSBURGH · serves 686,000
| Metric | Philadelphia | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Grade / score | D · 69/100 | A · 100/100 |
| Health-based EPA violations, last 5 yrs | 0 | 0 |
| Health-based violations unresolved | 0 | 0 |
| Monitoring / reporting violations, last 5 yrs | 5 | 0 |
| Lead 90th percentile (action level 15 ppb) | 2 ppb (2025–2025) | 4 ppb (2025–2025) |
| PFAS detected (UCMR5 2023–2026) | PFBA, PFBS, PFHpA, PFHxA, PFNA, PFOA, PFOS, PFPeA — PFOA/PFOS ≥ 4 ppt | None detected |
| Primary water source | Surface water | Surface water |
| Population served | 1,600,000 | 686,000 |
| EPA PWSID | PA1510001 | PA5020039 |
Green = the better value where the two systems differ. Lead and PFAS figures describe water leaving the plant, not any individual tap.
Removes 95–99% of lead, arsenic, nitrate, fluoride and PFAS — the widest range of any filter type. The right pick when EPA records point to real problems.
APEC ROES-50 Reverse Osmosis · 5-stage under-sink RO · ~$200 →Best for lead, arsenic & PFAS. Amazon affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Pittsburgh — it scores 100/100 (grade A) against 69/100 (grade D) on EPA records. Neither system has a health-based EPA violation in the last five years
Philadelphia grades D (69/100): no health-based EPA violations in the last five years, lead 90th percentile 2 ppb, PFAS detected (PFBA, PFBS, PFHpA, PFHxA, PFNA, PFOA, PFOS, PFPeA).
Pittsburgh grades A (100/100): no health-based EPA violations in the last five years, lead 90th percentile 4 ppb, no PFAS detected.