Is State College, PA Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in State College'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	8200 µg/L 82% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	4/4	SYR4
Copper	1270 µg/L 98% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	4/4	SYR4
Fluoride	826 µg/L 21% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Nitrite	150 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Lead	107 µg/L 713% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L	4/4	SYR4
Barium	62.6 µg/L 3.1% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	3/4	SYR4
TTHM	25.8 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L	2/4	SYR4
Chloroform	17.3 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/4	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	7.43 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L	3/4	SYR4
Bromoform	7 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/4	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	6.42 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/4	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	6 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/4	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	5.89 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/4	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	5.5 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/4	SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate	3.4 µg/L 57% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	2 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/4	SYR4
Chromium	1.02 µg/L 1% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Trichloroethylene	0.8600 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Tetrachloroethylene	0.7600 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Atrazine	0.2000 µg/L 6.7% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L	2/4	SYR4
Benzo(A)Pyrene	0.0260 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Pfpea	0.0039 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/4	UCMR-5
Pfhxa	0.0038 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/4	UCMR-5
Lead	0.0037 mg/L 25% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	3/4	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 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 State College

Supplier	Population served
STATE COLLEGE BORO WATER AUTH	72,000
COLLEGE TWP WATER AUTHORITY	6,000
TROTTER FARMS	175
NITTANY GROVE CONDO COMM ASSN	45

Frequently asked questions about State College tap water

Is State College tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 24 contaminants in the water serving State College. 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 State College?

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

What contaminants are in State College's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in State College include Nitrate, Copper, Fluoride, Nitrite, Lead. 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.