Is Harrisburg, PA Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Harrisburg's water

The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.

Contaminant	Level vs EPA limit	Suppliers	Source
Nitrate	4090 µg/L 41% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	2/3	SYR4
Fluoride	820 µg/L 21% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	2/3	SYR4
Copper	470 µg/L 36% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	3/3	SYR4
TTHM	138 µg/L 173% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L	3/3	SYR4
Chloroform	130 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/3	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	119 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/3	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	95.1 µg/L 159% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L	2/3	SYR4
Lead	52 µg/L 347% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L	3/3	SYR4
Barium	46 µg/L 2.3% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	3/3	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	42.8 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	40.7 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
Selenium	12 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L	2/3	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	11.3 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/3	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	9.1 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/3	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	5.4 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/3	SYR4
Cyanide	5 µg/L 2.5% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
Arsenic	4.5 µg/L 45% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
Bromoform	3.72 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
Atrazine	0.8500 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	0.6650 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/3	SYR4
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene	0.2700 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
Lead	0.0312 mg/L 208% above the EPA limit of 0.0150 mg/L	3/3	LCR
Pfpea	0.0054 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/3	UCMR-5
Pfhxa	0.0045 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/3	UCMR-5
PFBS	0.0041 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/3	UCMR-5

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 single worst sample on record — 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 Harrisburg

Supplier	Population served
VEOLIA WATER	110,000
CAPITAL REGION WATER	66,540
MOUNTAINDALE APARTMENTS	50

Frequently asked questions about Harrisburg tap water

Is Harrisburg tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 25 contaminants in the water serving Harrisburg. 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 Harrisburg?

3 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Harrisburg's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Harrisburg include Nitrate, Fluoride, Copper, TTHM, Chloroform. The full list, with the highest level found 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.