Is there PFAS in Philadelphia Water Department water?
Yes. EPA's final UCMR 5 results show Philadelphia Water Department averaged 7.3 ppt of PFOA at its worst sampling point, 1.8 times the EPA limit of 4 ppt.
Philadelphia Water Department
Serves 1.6 million people · 12 PFOA samples from 3 sampling points · Jan 2024 to Oct 2024
Average above an EPA limit
PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid
7.3 ppt avg · max 8.1
PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid
5.0 ppt avg · max 6.0
PFNA Perfluorononanoic acid
1.1 ppt avg · max 4.5
Hazard index GenX, PFBS, PFNA, PFHxS combined
0.1 avg · max 0.5
Also detected, no federal limit: PFBS, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFBA, PFHpA.
Philadelphia Water Department is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, serving about 1.6 million people. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 12 times across 3 sampling points between Jan 2024 and Oct 2024.
Every PFAS detected
Not detected: 6:2 FTS, NMeFOSAA, NEtFOSAA, 8:2 FTS, PFTA, PFPeS, PFTrDA, PFMPA, PFMBA, NFDHA, PFHpS, 4:2 FTS, PFEESA, ADONA, PFDA, PFDoA, PFUnA, 9Cl-PF3ONS, HFPO-DA, PFHxS, 11Cl-PF3OUdS.
Lithium, tested in the same program: not detected.
What the EPA limits mean here
In April 2024 EPA set enforceable limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX, and a hazard index of 1 for mixtures. Utilities were given until 2029 to comply. In May 2026 EPA proposed keeping only the PFOA and PFOS limits and moving that deadline to 2031. Until that proposal is final, the 2024 limits stand.
Compliance is judged on a running annual average at each entry point, so we show the average at this system's worst sampling point next to its single highest result. UCMR 5 results do not by themselves put a utility in or out of compliance.
What you can do at home
Two routes work for PFAS. For drinking and cooking water only, a reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI 58 with a PFOA/PFOS reduction claim is the cheapest proven option. To treat every tap and shower, a whole-house carbon system with enough contact time works, but check that the maker has PFAS test data, not just a marketing claim. See the best filters for PFAS and how PFAS removal works.
Other systems in Pennsylvania
All 390 tested systems in Pennsylvania
ZIP codes served
19102 19103 19104 19106 19107 19111 19112 19113 19114 19115 19116 19118 19119 19120 19121 19122 19123 19124 19125 19126 19127 19128 19129 19130 19131 19132 19133 19134 19135 19136 19137 19138 19139 19140 19141 19142 19143 19144 19145 19146 19147 19148 19149 19150 19151 19152 19153 19154
As reported by the utility to EPA. Neighbouring ZIPs are often split between systems; your water bill names yours.
Cite this page
Well & Tap. "PFAS in Philadelphia Water Department water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID PA1510001. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/pennsylvania/philadelphia-water-department/
About this data
Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID PA1510001). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.
