State College Boro Water Authority
EPA ID: PA4140096 · 72,000 people served · 13 ZIP codes
Where compliant utilities carry no open actions, State College Boro Water Authority shows 1 active EPA violation in the federal database for a service population of approximately 72,000.
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 8 (2021) to 6 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for State College Boro Water Authority Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The State College Boro Water Authority serves a community with a median household income of $76,389 and an estimated 131,166 residents across its service area. Approximately 57% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
State College Boro 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 1% of homes in Centre County, Pennsylvania rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 67th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How State College Boro Water Authority compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Selenium at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.05 mg/L. Hair & nail loss, nerve damage, liver & kidney damage. Consider reverse osmosis filtration.
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 4 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Contaminant 0700 at 4 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Surface Water Treatment Rule at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 10 detections recorded. 1 exceeds federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).
Selenium was detected in this water system. reverse osmosis filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →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
State College Boro Water Authority (EPA ID: PA4140096) is a community water system in Pennsylvania that serves approximately 72,000 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 13 ZIP codes across 10 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (55/100)
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 1, 2024 | Contaminant 0700 | Monitoring | Resolved |
| March 1, 2024 | Contaminant 0700 | Monitoring | Resolved |
| February 1, 2024 | Contaminant 0700 | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2024 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2024 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 1, 2023 | Contaminant 4100 | Monitoring | Resolved |
| September 11, 2023 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Selenium | Monitoring | Resolved |
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 | 4 | No |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other Violation | 4 | No |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | No |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 2 | No |
| Selenium | Inorganic | 1 | No |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 1 | No |
| Combined Radium | Radionuclides | 1 | No |
| Contaminant 4100 | Other Violation | 1 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16801 | 0.0037 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 16803 | 0.0037 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 16804 | 0.0037 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 16805 | 0.0037 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: 11 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 2 additional ZIPs inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
- 16801 — State College
- 16802 — University Park
- 16803 — State College
- 16804 — State College
- 16805 — State College
- 16823 — Bellefonte
- 16827 — Boalsburg
- 16828 — Centre Hall
- 16851 — Lemont
- 16865 — Pennsylvania Furnace
- 16868 — Pine Grove Mills
- 16870 — Port Matilda
- 16877 — Warriors Mark
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for State College Boro Water Authority (PA4140096) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is State College Boro Water Authority water safe to drink?
State College Boro Water Authority has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.
How many people does State College Boro Water Authority serve?
State College Boro Water Authority serves approximately 72,000 people across 13 ZIP codes in Pennsylvania.
Where does State College Boro 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 State College Borough 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: State College Borough 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 highest ranked possible source of contamination (PSOC) identified in the Authority source water assessment, ranked at an “A”, was transportation corridors. Roads are present in all contributing areas of the SCBWA’s well fields. Routes US 322 and I-99 are identified as potential sources of spills, contaminated runoff and road salt. The next highest possible source of contamination was land use in residential and light commercial areas. Developments are present in all of the well fields contributing areas. A rank of “B” was assigned to this PSOC. The sewer lines located throughout all the contributing areas were ranked a “C”, due to intermittent overflows.
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 State College Borough 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 →
The initial lead service line inventory was submitted by the October deadline. It is available at https://www.scbwa.org/service-line-inventory
Lead Service Line Replacement Tracker
This water utility's lead service line (LSL) replacement program is tracked from public Consumer Confidence Report filings. Email signup notifies subscribers when the utility files an updated replacement plan or progress milestone.
State College Borough Water Authority
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. LSL replacement-program data is sourced from public CCR filings published by the utility. Subscription notifications are based on automated parsing of subsequent CCR releases.
Learn more about Lead and Copper Rule replacement requirements →
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
State College Boro Water Authority (EPA ID: PA4140096) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.