Health Violations Found PA 3 HEALTH VIOLATIONS

Duquesne Water Department

EPA ID: PA5020012 · 5,565 people served · 11 ZIP codes

Five-year compliance data for Duquesne Water Department includes 2 violations the EPA has not yet marked resolved — those open findings are part of the utility's current enforcement profile, covering a service population of approximately 5,565 residents across the area it supplies.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

D · 53
Avg Safety Score
5,565
People Served
11
ZIP Codes Served
11
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.0025 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 1
Radon Risk · High
7
Contaminants Flagged
$119K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Compliance Trajectory

Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months

Violations went from 11 (2021) to 11 (2024). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Duquesne Water Department Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary — Grade D

Service Area Demographics

$65,367
Median Household Income
85,433
Service Area Population
27%
Disadvantaged Population
40th
Poverty Percentile
50th
Energy Burden Percentile
92%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Duquesne Water Department serves a community with a median household income of $65,367 and an estimated 85,433 residents across its service area. Approximately 92% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Duquesne Water Department'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.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
60th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
50th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 1% of homes in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.

Wastewater Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 60th percentile nationally for proximity to wastewater discharge points. Surface water sources near wastewater outfalls may face additional treatment challenges.

Infrastructure Risk

74 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Pipe Material
0 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Accelerating Decay
Decay Status
Installed 100% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Duquesne Water Department compares to EPA limits

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) 3 mg/L (EXCEEDS LIMIT)
0 EPA Limit: 0.06 mg/L
Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects
Uranium 1 mg/L (EXCEEDS LIMIT)
0 EPA Limit: 0.03 mg/L
Kidney toxicity, increased cancer risk

What This Means For You

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.06 mg/L. Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.

Uranium at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.03 mg/L. Kidney toxicity, increased cancer risk. Consider reverse osmosis filtration.

Surface Water Treatment Rule at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Lead and Copper Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 1 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

Similar-sized systems in Pennsylvania

0 violations
D 66 violations
Mahanoy Twp Authority
5,584 people
D 2 violations
D 12 violations
New Holland Borough
5,500 people
C 6 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation Water Filtration
Flood Insurance $1,309
Radon Mitigation $1,200
Water Filtration $55
Total Estimated Cost $2,564

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.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $1,000

Annual per household (CDC est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$5,000
10 years
$10,000
20 years
$20,000

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,564 (one-time) vs. $10,000 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

DUQUESNE WATER DEPT (EPA ID: PA5020012) is a community water system in Pennsylvania that serves approximately 5,565 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 11 ZIP codes across 7 communities.

Average Home Safety Score: D (53/100)

Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.

Violation History

3 health-based violations recorded in the past 5 years. 2 remain unresolved.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
October 1, 2024 Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Health-based Resolved
January 1, 2023 Consumer Confidence Report Rule Monitoring Resolved
January 1, 2023 E. coli Monitoring Resolved
January 1, 2023 Revised Total Coliform Rule Monitoring Resolved

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection Byproducts 3 Yes
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Failure 3 No
Uranium Radionuclides 1 No
Lead and Copper Rule Treatment Failure 1 No
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting Failure 1 No
E. coli Microbiological 1 No
Revised Total Coliform Rule Microbiological 1 No

Health Risk Details

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (EPA limit: 0.06 mg/L)

Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects At-risk groups: pregnant women, infants, long-term consumers of chlorinated municipal water.

Removal methods: granular activated carbon (GAC), carbon block filter, reverse osmosis. Find the right filter →

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:

ZIP Code Lead Level Exceeds Limit Sample Date
15110 0.0025 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 Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: 1 ZIP code confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 10 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.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Duquesne Water Department (PA5020012) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Duquesne Water Department water safe to drink?

Duquesne Water Department 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 Duquesne Water Department serve?

Duquesne Water Department serves approximately 5,565 people across 11 ZIP codes in Pennsylvania.

Where does Duquesne Water Department get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

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.

Samples collected
116

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 →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

Lead Service Line Inventory

Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:

0
Confirmed Lead
0
Galvanized — Replacement Required
1,882
Unknown Material
17
Confirmed Non-Lead

This system reports zero confirmed lead service lines in its inventory. Unknown-material counts may still warrant verification.

Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Reported all required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2025-06-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Population served: 5,565
Reported to Pennsylvania

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.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

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

Is water from Duquesne Water Department safe to drink?
Duquesne Water Department has a D safety grade based on 11 recorded violations. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits — independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in Duquesne Water Department's water?
Detected contaminants include Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Uranium, Surface Water Treatment Rule, Lead and Copper Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 5 contaminants above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does Duquesne Water Department serve?
Duquesne Water Department serves approximately 5,565 people with drinking water across 11 ZIP codes.
What is Duquesne Water Department's water source?
Duquesne Water Department draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Duquesne Water Department's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.0025 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Duquesne Water Department's service area?
The Duquesne Water Department service area has a median household income of $65,367. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Duquesne Water Department get its water?
Duquesne Water Department'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. Based on violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is currently elevated.

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →

3

Contact your utility

Duquesne Water Department (EPA ID: PA5020012) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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