F0/100

ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY — Water Quality Report 2026

Serving 62,500 people · Pennsylvania

Water Source

Surface Water

County

—

System ID

PA4070023

Violations

269

Contaminant Test Results

1 contaminant above EPA health goals

Contaminant	Detected	Limit (MCL)	Goal (MCLG)	Status
Lead (90th percentile)	0.003 mg/L	0.015 mg/L	0 mg/L	Above Goal

EPA Violation History

Violations (last 5yr)

Unresolved

Health-Related

TIER 3Resolved

Disinfection byproduct treatment technique failure

When: September 23, 2025 – October 10, 2025Rule: Ground Water RuleEnforcement: Formal — state order issued

TIER 3Resolved

Disinfection byproduct treatment technique failure

When: September 23, 2025 – October 10, 2025Rule: Ground Water RuleEnforcement: Formal — state order issued

TIER 3Resolved

Monitoring violation

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: August 13, 2025 – October 10, 2025Rule: Total Coliform RuleEnforcement: Formal — state order issued

TIER 2Resolved

Maximum contaminant level violation

When: August 13, 2025 – October 10, 2025Rule: Total Coliform RuleEnforcement: Formal — state order issued

TIER 2Resolved

Treatment technique violation

When: August 13, 2025 – October 10, 2025Rule: Total Coliform RuleEnforcement: Formal — state order issued

TIER 3Unresolved

Failed Level 2 Assessment under Revised Total Coliform Rule

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: January 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025Rule: Stage 1 DBPREnforcement: Informal — resolved cooperativelyVerify on EPA.gov

TIER 3Unresolved

Failed Level 2 Assessment under Revised Total Coliform Rule

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: January 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025Rule: Stage 1 DBPREnforcement: Informal — resolved cooperativelyVerify on EPA.gov

TIER 3Unresolved

Failed Level 2 Assessment under Revised Total Coliform Rule

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: January 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025Rule: Stage 1 DBPREnforcement: Informal — resolved cooperativelyVerify on EPA.gov

TIER 3Unresolved

Failed Level 2 Assessment under Revised Total Coliform Rule

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: January 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025Rule: Stage 1 DBPREnforcement: Informal — resolved cooperativelyVerify on EPA.gov

TIER 3Unresolved

Failed Level 2 Assessment under Revised Total Coliform Rule

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: January 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025Rule: Stage 1 DBPREnforcement: Informal — resolved cooperativelyVerify on EPA.gov

TIER 3Unresolved

Failed Level 2 Assessment under Revised Total Coliform Rule

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: January 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025Rule: Stage 1 DBPREnforcement: Informal — resolved cooperativelyVerify on EPA.gov

TIER 3Resolved

Failed Level 2 Assessment under Revised Total Coliform Rule

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: January 1, 2024 – March 31, 2024Rule: Stage 1 DBPREnforcement: Resolving — corrective action underway

TIER 3Resolved

Failed Level 2 Assessment under Revised Total Coliform Rule

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: October 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023Rule: Stage 2 DBPREnforcement: Resolving — corrective action underway

TIER 3Resolved

Failed Level 2 Assessment under Revised Total Coliform Rule

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: October 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023Rule: Stage 1 DBPREnforcement: Resolving — corrective action underway

TIER 3Resolved

Monitoring Violation

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: September 1, 2023 – September 30, 2023Rule: Total Coliform RuleEnforcement: Resolving — corrective action underway

TIER 3Resolved

Exceeded the MCL for disinfection byproducts

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: October 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022Enforcement: Resolving — corrective action underway

TIER 3Resolved

Failed Level 2 Assessment under Revised Total Coliform Rule

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: July 1, 2022 – September 30, 2022Rule: Stage 2 DBPREnforcement: Resolving — corrective action underway

TIER 3Resolved

Failed Level 2 Assessment under Revised Total Coliform Rule

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: July 1, 2022 – September 30, 2022Rule: Stage 2 DBPREnforcement: Resolving — corrective action underway

TIER 3Resolved

Failed Level 2 Assessment under Revised Total Coliform Rule

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: July 1, 2022 – September 30, 2022Rule: Stage 1 DBPREnforcement: Resolving — corrective action underway

TIER 3Resolved

Exceeded the Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level

This is a paperwork/process violation — it does not mean a contaminant was detected at unsafe levels.

When: July 1, 2022 – September 30, 2022Enforcement: Resolving — corrective action underway

Understanding violation severity

Tier 1Urgent health risk. Utility must notify all customers within 24 hours.Tier 2Important health or treatment issue. Customers notified within 30 days.Tier 3Administrative or monitoring issue. Reported in the annual water quality report.

Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · Updated quarterly

Frequently Asked Questions About ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY

Is ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY water safe to drink?

ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY water receives a grade of F (0/100), which is considered failing. 0 contaminant(s) exceed EPA legal limits and 269 violation(s) are on record. Customers may want to consider using a water filter.

What contaminants has ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY detected?

76 contaminants were tested in ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY's water. Notable contaminants include Lead (90th percentile). No contaminants exceed EPA legal limits. 1 exceed EPA health goals (MCLGs).

Does ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY have any EPA violations?

Yes, ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY has 269 EPA violation(s) on record, with the most recent in 2025. Violation types include Other, RPT, TT. 62 are health-based violations.

How many people does ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY serve?

ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY serves approximately 62,500 people, Pennsylvania.

What type of water does ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY provide?

ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY sources its water from surface water. Surface water comes from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs and typically requires more extensive treatment. The utility's system ID is PA4070023.

How does ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY compare to other utilities in Pennsylvania?

ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY scores 0/100 with a grade of F (failing). This score suggests significant water quality concerns relative to other utilities. Visit our Pennsylvania state page for a full comparison of water systems.