Altoona Water Authority
EPA ID: PA4070023 · 62,500 people served · 9 ZIP codes
Tallying the federal enforcement file for Altoona Water Authority yields 4 open violations that have not been formally closed — each finding sits in the EPA database while the utility continues to deliver water to approximately 62,500 residents and works through the required corrective action process.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 10 (2022) to 12 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Altoona Water Authority Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Altoona Water Authority serves a community with a median household income of $67,783 and an estimated 105,362 residents across its service area. Approximately 73% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 39% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Altoona Water Authority's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.
About 2% of homes in Blair County, Pennsylvania rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Altoona Water Authority compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.06 mg/L. Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 5 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Chlorite at 4 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 1 mg/L. Anemia and nervous system effects in infants and children. Consider ferrous sulfate reduction filtration.
Contaminant 1085 at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Contaminant 0700 at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) was detected in this water system. granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →Comparable Water Systems
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Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.
System Overview
Altoona Water Authority (EPA ID: PA4070023) is a community water system in Pennsylvania that serves approximately 62,500 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 9 ZIP codes across 7 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (59/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 23, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| August 13, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Health-based | Resolved |
| August 13, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| May 11, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2025 | Chlorite | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 11, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2024 | Contaminant 0700 | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2024 | Contaminant 2959 | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2024 | Chlorite | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 1, 2023 | Chlorite | Monitoring | Resolved |
| September 1, 2023 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2023 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| June 1, 2023 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 5 | Yes |
| Chlorite | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | No |
| Contaminant 1085 | Other Violation | 3 | Yes |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other Violation | 3 | No |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | No |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 1 | No |
| Contaminant 2959 | Other Violation | 1 | No |
| Combined Radium | Radionuclides | 1 | No |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16601 | 0.00287 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 16602 | 0.00287 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 16603 | 0.00287 mg/L | No | N/A |
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 8 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 1 additional ZIP inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
- 16601 — Altoona
- 16602 — Altoona
- 16603 — Altoona
- 16613 — Ashville
- 16617 — Bellwood
- 16635 — Duncansville
- 16636 — Dysart
- 16648 — Hollidaysburg
- 16686 — Tyrone
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Altoona Water Authority (PA4070023) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Altoona Water Authority water safe to drink?
Altoona Water Authority has recorded 3 health-based violations in the past 5 years. While the system is required to treat water to meet federal standards, you may want to consider additional precautions such as a certified water filter.
How many people does Altoona Water Authority serve?
Altoona Water Authority serves approximately 62,500 people across 9 ZIP codes in Pennsylvania.
Where does Altoona Water Authority get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from Altoona Water Authority Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: Altoona Water Authority Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
The Altoona Water Authority has a complete Source Water Assessment and Protection Plan for the entire watershed system. Potential source water contamination threats for our particular area include: transportation corridors, the Horseshoe Curve railroad tracks, illegal dumping, abandoned mine discharges, faulty septic systems and natural gas wells and pipelines.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Altoona Water Authority Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.
Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.
How Water Systems Appear in Rankings
Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
Altoona Water Authority (EPA ID: PA4070023) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.