Johnstown, PA: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 67/100
8 ZIP codes · 8 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Johnstown: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Your top priority: match a filter's certification to the violations (26 health-based violations). NSF certified filters →
Johnstown, PA holds a middle-tier grade; review the underlying water system records for the reasons behind it.
How Johnstown Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
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 256 violations since 2021.
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.005 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 89% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $680 per household.
Who Supplies Your Water in Johnstown
Federal records list 8 water systems tied to Johnstown, PA. Of those, 3 are the primary providers, meaning service conditions, rate structures, and compliance histories can differ depending on where a property sits.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 8 ZIP codes in Johnstown, Pennsylvania (population ~65,568), covering 8 community water systems serving approximately 109,668 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 6 of 8 ZIP codes.
6 of 6 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 26 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Johnstown: C (67/100)
Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| PFAS MCL Screen | UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
| Annual AQI | EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days |
Water Sources
Johnstown water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0050 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 6 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
8 of 8 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 2.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 59 | 6 |
| Public Notice Rule | Reporting | 57 | 6 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 51 | 5 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 46 | 6 |
| Chlorine | Disinfectant | 45 | 6 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15904 | C | 201 | 4 | Highland S & W Authority Beaverdam |
| 15905 | C | 141 | 0 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
| 15909 | — | 108 | 22 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
| 15902 | C | 93 | 4 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
| 15906 | C | 93 | 14 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
| 15901 | C | 53 | 0 | Greater Johnstown Water Authority Riverside |
All ZIP Codes in Johnstown
- 15901 [C] - 53 violations
- 15902 [C] - 93 violations ⚠
- 15904 [C] - 201 violations ⚠
- 15905 [C] - 141 violations
- 15906 [C] - 93 violations ⚠
- 15907
- 15909 - 108 violations ⚠
- 15915
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
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
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. Federal law banned lead solder in drinking-water plumbing in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Lead can reach tap water from service lines, solder and brass fittings inside a building, which is why housing age draws attention in Johnstown, where the median build year is 1953.
Over half of homes in Johnstown were built before 1986, when federal law began restricting lead solder in drinking-water plumbing. 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
Of the three cost-context tiers - low, moderate and elevated - Johnstown is in the low one.
Estimated remediation costs in Johnstown can be compared with local home values. The $360–$1,520 estimated range can be set against the median property value; actual costs vary by home. Home values are 51% below the Pennsylvania average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Johnstown
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
If you have young children or are pregnant, consider testing your home's water - especially if your home was built before 1986.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Johnstown
Historical NFIP data for Johnstown contains 580 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $5,970. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 57% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
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. The $680 remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
What You Can Do in Johnstown
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. Check the certification, price and turnaround time of any water test kit or lab service.
- Install a certified water filter. For Revised Total Coliform Rule, listed in the water-quality records for Johnstown: if it is a rule or reporting requirement rather than a contaminant, ask your utility what the record involved; for bacteria, follow any boil-water notice from your utility; for a specific chemical contaminant, check whether a filter is certified to reduce it. Not every contaminant has a consumer filter certification.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 89% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Johnstown, PA