Johnstown, PA: 24 Health Violations — 73/100 (2026)
8 ZIP codes · 9 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Water utilities in Johnstown have maintained a consistent compliance record over recent monitoring periods — the city's above-average grade in PA reflects low violation rates and no systemic health concerns flagged in current data.
How Johnstown Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Water Quality Map: Johnstown, PA
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
How ZIP codes in Johnstown score across all safety grades.
What You Should Know About Johnstown Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 360 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.005 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 89% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,250 per household.
Who Supplies Your Water in Johnstown
With 3 utilities splitting service in Johnstown, PA, water accountability is distributed across 9 systems on the federal record.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 8 ZIP codes in Johnstown, Pennsylvania (population ~65,568), covering 9 community water systems serving approximately 110,391 people region-wide.
8 of 8 ZIP codes (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 24 health-based violations documented.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Johnstown: B (73/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Johnstown water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0050 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 8 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 81 | 8 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 63 | 8 |
| E. coli | Microbiological | 45 | 8 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 45 | 8 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 36 | 8 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15901 | B | 45 | 3 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
| 15902 | B | 45 | 3 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
| 15904 | B | 45 | 3 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
| 15905 | C | 45 | 3 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
| 15906 | B | 45 | 3 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
| 15907 | B | 45 | 3 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
| 15909 | B | 45 | 3 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
| 15915 | B | 45 | 3 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
All ZIP Codes in Johnstown
- 15901 [B] — 45 violations ⚠
- 15902 [B] — 45 violations ⚠
- 15904 [B] — 45 violations ⚠
- 15905 [C] — 45 violations ⚠
- 15906 [B] — 45 violations ⚠
- 15907 [B] — 45 violations ⚠
- 15909 [B] — 45 violations ⚠
- 15915 [B] — 45 violations ⚠
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Updated daily.
Top Contaminants in Johnstown Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Johnstown
With 89% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Pre-1986 plumbing is not a rare legacy case in Johnstown — it's the dominant profile. The median build year of 1953 indicates a housing stock where lead-soldered copper joints are a common structural feature of residences across the city.
Over half of homes in Johnstown were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Johnstown Homeowners
The Johnstown remediation share exceeds what lower-tier markets face — the cost-to-value ratio here is elevated, and the household financial perspective reflects a commitment that most homeowners need to plan for explicitly.
At 2.1% of home value, remediation costs in Johnstown represent a significant financial burden. For homes valued near the median, fixing water and safety issues could cost $1,125–$4,163. Home values here are 51% below the Pennsylvania average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Johnstown
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
In recent monitoring under the Lead and Copper Rule, citywide samples for Johnstown have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 89% of stock dating from the pre-rule era, the picture supports baseline single-tap reads as a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Flood & Climate Risk in Johnstown
Johnstown's flood profile — 580 NFIP claims over the program's multi-decade period and 88% of ZIP codes within FEMA-designated flood zones — reflects a community where flooding has shaped the local risk landscape in sustained ways. That sustained exposure has specific consequences for water quality that don't apply to lower-exposure areas. Treatment facilities handling intake from flood-saturated watersheds face contaminant loads that can exceed normal filtration capacity. Private wells in FEMA-designated zones face surface infiltration risk during every significant event. Distribution systems in areas that flood repeatedly accumulate backflow stress over time. None of these represent constant threats to water quality, but they are activated by the kinds of events that the NFIP record shows have occurred here, repeatedly, over many years.
Johnstown has a significant flood history with 580 FEMA flood insurance claims on record, averaging $2,968 per claim. With 88% of ZIP codes in FEMA-designated flood zones, flood risk is a major concern for homeowners and water quality.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$2,250</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Johnstown, PA