Penn State Univ
EPA ID: PA4140095 ยท 37,000 people served ยท 3 ZIP codes
ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Penn State Univ (PA4140095): 45 violations on record since 2021. Every entry among the 45 violations in EPA records for Penn State Univ has a resolved status in the data; this utility delivers water to about 37,000 people.
Data: EPA SDWIS
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Penn State Univ Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary - average Home Safety grade of mapped ZIPs: D
Demographics of ZIP Codes Served
The ZIP codes associated with Penn State Univ have a median household income of $67,407 and about 79,312 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies).
๐ง Where Does Your Water Come From?
Penn State Univ's water is classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.
Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites. Groundwater sources near contaminated sites may face elevated risk from industrial chemicals.
Infrastructure Risk
PFAS in ZIP Codes This System Serves
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been reported in samples from water systems associated with the ZIP codes in this system's area. These results can come from other water systems serving the same ZIP codes; check the UCMR5 section for any results reported for this system. 2 detections recorded.
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Pennsylvania
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
Penn State Univ (EPA ID: PA4140095) is a community water system in Pennsylvania that serves approximately 37,000 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 3 ZIP codes across 2 communities.
ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: D (50/100)
This is the average Home Safety Score for 1 of 3 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.
Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.
Violation History
Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 45 resolved, 0 archived, 0 addressed, and 0 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2025 | Groundwater Rule | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Gross Beta Particle Activity | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Xylenes, Total | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | DICHLOROMETHANE | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | o-Dichlorobenzene | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | p-Dichlorobenzene | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | 1,1-Dichloroethylene | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | 1,2-Dichloroethane | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Carbon tetrachloride | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | 1,2-Dichloropropane | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Trichloroethylene | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Tetrachloroethylene | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | CHLOROBENZENE | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Benzene | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Toluene | Non-health-based | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| Xylenes, Total | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| DICHLOROMETHANE | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| o-Dichlorobenzene | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| p-Dichlorobenzene | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| Carbon tetrachloride | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| Trichloroethylene | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| Tetrachloroethylene | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:
| Lead Level | Exceeds Action Level | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0108 mg/L | No | 2025-09-30 |
No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.
Radon Risk in Service Area
3 of 3 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 1.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by PA or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for Penn State Univ (PA4140095) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Penn State Univ water safe to drink?
The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows no current noncompliance for Penn State Univ; its 45 accepted 2021-2026 records are resolved or archived. Historical compliance status does not establish conditions at a specific tap.
How many people does Penn State Univ serve?
Penn State Univ serves approximately 37,000 people across 3 ZIP codes in Pennsylvania.
Where does Penn State Univ get its water?
The primary water source is groundwater.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: No PFAS Reported Above Reporting Levels
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were reported above UCMR5 minimum reporting levels.
EPA's April 2024 PFAS rule sets MCLs of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX); water systems must comply from 2029. Other PFAS compounds have no individual federal MCL. A state standard is shown only where this system's state has its own enforceable PFAS limit. Detection results are EPA UCMR5 samples, not a measurement at your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) โ per-system federal sampling, 2023โ2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ
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
How to cite this page
ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Penn State Univ (PA): 45 EPA Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/pa4140095/
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-pa4140095,
author = {{ZipCheckup}},
title = {{Penn State Univ (PA): 45 EPA Violations}},
year = {n.d.},
url = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/pa4140095/}
}
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter โ
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ
Contact your utility
Penn State Univ (EPA ID: PA4140095) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.