PFAS Testing Results
Pennsylvania
PFAS testing results for 390 water systems serving 10,727,574 residents.
117 systems exceed federal PFAS limits, affecting 4,818,632 residents.
Systems tested
390
44.6% had PFAS detections
Limits exceeded
117
30.0% of systems
Population affected
4.8M
served by systems over federal limits
Most common compound
11Cl-PF3OUdS
detected in 35 systems
Grade distribution
Every water system gets a letter grade based on how its worst detected PFAS compound compares to the federal Maximum Contaminant Level. Lower grades mean higher contamination.
Communities exceeding federal limits
The water systems in Pennsylvania where at least one PFAS compound exceeds the EPA Maximum Contaminant Level, sorted worst first.
| System name | City | Grade | Worst compound | Times over limit | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAERNARVON TWP AUTH | MORGANTOWN | F | PFOA | 12.9x | 4.2K |
| EMMAUS BOROUGH PUBLIC WATER | EMMAUS | F | PFOS | 10.1x | 14K |
| PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY | PALMERTON | F | PFOA | 9.9x | 7.0K |
| HORSHAM WATER&SEWER AUTHORITY | HORSHAM | F | PFOS | 8.4x | 26K |
| COLLEGEVILLE TRAPPE JOINT PWD | TRAPPE | F | PFOA | 7.0x | 8.5K |
| AUDUBON WATER COMPANY | NORRISTOWN | F | PFOS | 5.2x | 8.2K |
| SUEZ WATER PA BETHEL | HARRISBURG | D | PFOA | 4.2x | 7.8K |
| KENNETT SQUARE MUN WATER WORKS | KENNETT SQUARE | D | PFOA | 3.9x | 6.3K |
| BUCKINGHAM TWP COLD SPRING | BUCKINGHAM | D | PFOA | 3.9x | 4.8K |
| PA AM WATER CO-FRACKVILLE DIST | MILTON | D | PFOS | 3.8x | 5.6K |
Resources for taking action are available in our community toolkit.
What Pennsylvania is doing about PFAS
Pennsylvania adopted enforceable drinking water MCLs for PFOA and PFOS in 2023 through the Department of Environmental Protection. The Pennsylvania MCLs are 14 parts per trillion for PFOA and 18 parts per trillion for PFOS, both less strict than the federal EPA values of 4 parts per trillion finalized in April 2024. Pennsylvania utilities now must meet the stricter federal standards.
The impetus for Pennsylvania's regulatory response came from extreme contamination in Bucks and Montgomery counties around the former Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, and Horsham Air Guard Station. AFFF firefighting foam releases at these sites contaminated public and private drinking water for tens of thousands of residents, including one measurement of combined PFOS and PFOA at over 22,000 parts per trillion in off-base wells.
The Pennsylvania legislature created a PFAS Action Team, and state records show PADEP has required sampling at all community water systems. The Pennsylvania Attorney General has filed lawsuits against 3M, DuPont, and other manufacturers. The BuxMont PFAS Coalition has advocated for ongoing remediation funding.
Public water systems in Pennsylvania are subject to both the state MCLs and the federal compliance timeline requiring initial monitoring by 2027 and treatment installation by 2029.
Based on Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection publications and Pennsylvania Attorney General filings.
All 390 tested water systems in Pennsylvania
Sorted from lowest grade to highest. Click any system name for the full report. Filter by city or name with the search box below.
Showing 50 of 390 systems
| Grade | System name | City | Worst compound | vs. EPA limit | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
F | CAERNARVON TWP AUTH | MORGANTOWN | PFOA | 12.9× the federal limit | 4.2K |
F | EMMAUS BOROUGH PUBLIC WATER | EMMAUS | PFOS | 10.1× the federal limit | 14K |
F | PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY | PALMERTON | PFOA | 9.9× the federal limit | 7.0K |
F | HORSHAM WATER&SEWER AUTHORITY | HORSHAM | PFOS | 8.4× the federal limit | 26K |
F | COLLEGEVILLE TRAPPE JOINT PWD | TRAPPE | PFOA | 7.0× the federal limit | 8.5K |
F | AUDUBON WATER COMPANY | NORRISTOWN | PFOS | 5.2× the federal limit | 8.2K |
D | SUEZ WATER PA BETHEL | HARRISBURG | PFOA | 4.2× the federal limit | 7.8K |
D | KENNETT SQUARE MUN WATER WORKS | KENNETT SQUARE | PFOA | 3.9× the federal limit | 6.3K |
D | BUCKINGHAM TWP COLD SPRING | BUCKINGHAM | PFOA | 3.9× the federal limit | 4.8K |
D | PA AM WATER CO-FRACKVILLE DIST | MILTON | PFOS | 3.8× the federal limit | 5.6K |
D | CITY OF LANCASTER, PA | LANCASTER | PFOA | 3.7× the federal limit | 120K |
D | UPPER SOUTHAMPTON MUN AUTH | SOUTHAMPTON | PFOS | 3.5× the federal limit | 16K |
D | JAMIE HOLLANDERS | NEW HOPE | PFOA | 3.1× the federal limit | 150 |
D | NORTHAMPTON BUCKS CO MUN AUTH | RICHBORO | PFOA | 3.1× the federal limit | 37K |
D | ASHLAND AREA WATER AUTHORITY | ASHLAND | PFOS | 3.0× the federal limit | 4.2K |
D | MONTOURSVILLE WATER COMPANY | MONTOURSVILLE | PFOS | 3.0× the federal limit | 5.0K |
D | LITTLESTOWN BORO | LITTLESTOWN | PFOS | 2.9× the federal limit | 7.3K |
D | DOYLESTOWN BORO WATER DEPT | DOYLESTOWN | PFOA | 2.9× the federal limit | 8.7K |
D | N MIDDLETON WATER AUTH | CARLISLE | PFOS | 2.9× the federal limit | 8.5K |
D | MANHEIM AREA WATER & SEWER AUT | MANHEIM | PFOA | 2.9× the federal limit | 6.7K |
D | AQUA PA CHALFONT | BRYN MAWR | PFOS | 2.8× the federal limit | 5.9K |
D | DTMA MAIN SYSTEM | DOYLESTOWN | PFOA | 2.8× the federal limit | 8.7K |
D | SHREWSBURY BOROUGH | SHREWSBURY | PFOS | 2.8× the federal limit | 4.7K |
D | AMBLER BORO WATER DEPT | AMBLER | PFOA | 2.7× the federal limit | 20K |
D | BEAVER BORO MUNI AUTH | BEAVER | PFHxS | 2.7× the federal limit | 5.8K |
D | AQUA PA HATBORO | BRYN MAWR | PFOS | 2.5× the federal limit | 13K |
D | GETTYSBURG MUNI AUTH | GETTYSBURG | PFOS | 2.5× the federal limit | 12K |
D | QUAKERTOWN BORO | QUAKERTOWN | PFNA | 2.4× the federal limit | 13K |
D | CORAOPOLIS WATER & SEWER AUTH | CORAOPOLIS | PFOS | 2.4× the federal limit | 5.8K |
D | PAW PENN DISTRICT | READING | PFOS | 2.4× the federal limit | 29K |
D | TELFORD BOROUGH AUTHORITY | TELFORD | PFOA | 2.3× the federal limit | 7.7K |
D | SUEZ MIDDLETOWN | MIDDLETOWN | PFOS | 2.3× the federal limit | 9.6K |
D | NEWTOWN ARTESIAN WATER CO | NEWTOWN | PFOA | 2.2× the federal limit | 39K |
D | NORTH WALES WATER AUTHORITY | NORTH WALES | PFOA | 2.2× the federal limit | 72K |
D | FREELAND BORO MUNI WATER AUTH | FREELAND | PFOS | 2.2× the federal limit | 4.6K |
D | PA AMERICAN WATER CO YARDLEY | YARDLEY | PFOA | 2.1× the federal limit | 33K |
D | EAST PETERSBURG BOROUGH | EAST PETERSBURG | PFOS | 2.1× the federal limit | 6.2K |
D | SUEZ MECHANICSBURG | HARRISBURG | PFOS | 2.1× the federal limit | 45K |
D | CARLISLE WATER TRMT PLT | CARLISLE | PFOS | 2.0× the federal limit | 26K |
D | EAGLE LAKE COMMUNITY ASSOC | GOULDSBORO | PFOA | 2.0× the federal limit | 3.5K |
D | PA AMERICAN WATER CO WEST | MECHANICSBURG | PFOS | 2.0× the federal limit | 105K |
D | PERKASIE REGIONAL AUTHORITY | SELLERSVILLE | PFOS | 2.0× the federal limit | 15K |
D | MANHEIM AUTO AUCTION | MANHEIM | PFOS | 1.9× the federal limit | 1.4K |
D | PAW GLEN ALSACE DIV | MECHANICSBURG | PFOS | 1.9× the federal limit | 25K |
D | EAST HEMPFIELD WATER AUTH | LANDISVILLE | PFOA | 1.9× the federal limit | 21K |
D | HILLTOWN TWP WATER&SEWER AUTH | SELLERSVILLE | PFOA | 1.9× the federal limit | 5.8K |
D | MOON TWP MUNI AUTH | MOON TOWNSHIP | PFOS | 1.9× the federal limit | 38K |
D | PA AMERICAN WATER BERWICK | MILTON | PFOA | 1.9× the federal limit | 15K |
D | UPPER LEACOCK TOWNSHIP | LEOLA | PFOS | 1.9× the federal limit | 7.7K |
D | SUEZ NEWBERRY SYSTEM | HARRISBURG | PFOA | 1.8× the federal limit | 6.5K |
More on PFAS in Pennsylvania
City profiles
Check your water system
Enter your zip code to see the PFAS results for the water system that serves your home.
Where this data comes from
- EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle (UCMR 5)
- Testing period: 2023 to 2026
- Federal limits: EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels finalized April 2024
- Read the full methodology