Current Noncompliance PA 4 HEALTH VIOLATIONS

Tarentum Boro Water Department

EPA ID: PA5020055 ยท 4,927 people served ยท 1 ZIP code

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Tarentum Boro Water Department (PA5020055): 1 unresolved EPA violation on record. Within the EPA compliance database, Tarentum Boro Water Department shows 1 violation still pending resolution - a status that applies across the full service territory of approximately 4,927 people and reflects findings that have not yet cleared the federal enforcement process or received formal closure.

Data: EPA SDWIS

D ยท 42
Avg Safety Score
4,927
People Served
1
ZIP Code Served
21
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.00181 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 1
Radon Risk ยท High
7
Contaminants Flagged
$112K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary - Grade D

Service Area Demographics

$61,660
Median Household Income
9,884
Service Area Population
27%
Disadvantaged Population
40th
Poverty Percentile
50th
Energy Burden Percentile
81%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Tarentum Boro Water Department serves a community with a median household income of $61,660 and an estimated 9,884 residents across its service area. Approximately 81% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Tarentum Boro 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

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

85 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 Tarentum Boro Water Department compares to EPA limits

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) 4 mg/L (EXCEEDS LIMIT)
0 EPA Limit: 0.06 mg/L
Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects
Chlorite 3 mg/L (EXCEEDS LIMIT)
0 EPA Limit: 1 mg/L
Anemia and nervous system effects in infants and children

What This Means For You

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) at 4 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.06 mg/L. Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.

E. coli at 4 Zero tolerance (any positive sample triggers immediate action) exceeds the EPA maximum of Zero tolerance (any positive sample triggers immediate action). Severe GI illness; potentially fatal kidney failure in children. Consider UV disinfection (99.99%) filtration.

Revised Total Coliform Rule at 4 presence exceeds the EPA maximum of presence.

Chlorite at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 1 mg/L. Anemia and nervous system effects in infants and children. Consider ferrous sulfate reduction filtration.

Fecal Coliform at 3 presence exceeds the EPA maximum of presence.

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 1 detection recorded.

State limits: PFOA: 0.014 ppt, PFOS: 0.018 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter โ†’

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) was detected in this water system. granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration can reduce exposure.

Find a certified water filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Pennsylvania

D 1 violation
F 12 violations
C 4 violations
66 violations
D 50 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Radon Mitigation Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
Radon Mitigation $1,200
Flood Insurance $1,200
PFAS Treatment $500
Water Filtration $300
Total Estimated Cost $3,200

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 $1,500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$7,665
10 years
$15,330
20 years
$30,660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $3,200 (one-time) vs. $15,330 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

Tarentum Boro Water Department (EPA ID: PA5020055) is a community water system in Pennsylvania that serves approximately 4,927 people from surface water sources.

This system serves ZIP code 15084 in Tarentum.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: D (42/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 1 of 1 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

1 current noncompliance record in the accepted 2026Q2 snapshot; none are classified as health-based in this evidence.

Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 5 resolved, 15 archived, 0 addressed, and 1 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
May 11, 2026 Lead and Copper Rule Non-health-based Unaddressed (current)
February 10, 2026 Lead and Copper Rule Non-health-based Resolved
January 1, 2026 Revised Total Coliform Rule Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2026 E. coli Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2026 Fecal Coliform Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2026 Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Health-based Archived
January 1, 2026 Chlorite Non-health-based Archived
December 1, 2025 Revised Total Coliform Rule Non-health-based Archived
December 1, 2025 E. coli Non-health-based Archived
November 1, 2025 Revised Total Coliform Rule Non-health-based Archived
November 1, 2025 E. coli Non-health-based Archived
November 1, 2025 Fecal Coliform Non-health-based Archived
October 1, 2025 Revised Total Coliform Rule Non-health-based Archived
October 1, 2025 E. coli Non-health-based Archived
October 1, 2025 Fecal Coliform Non-health-based Archived
October 1, 2025 Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Health-based Archived
October 1, 2025 Chlorite Non-health-based Archived
April 1, 2025 Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Health-based Resolved
January 1, 2025 Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Health-based Resolved
October 1, 2023 Contaminant 2031 Non-health-based 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 4 Yes
E. coli Microbiological 4 No
Revised Total Coliform Rule Microbiological 4 No
Chlorite Disinfection Byproducts 3 No
Fecal Coliform Microbiological 3 No
Lead and Copper Rule Treatment Failure 2 No
Contaminant 2031 Other Violation 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 โ†’

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.00181 mg/L No N/A

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

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 $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

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

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 the full compliance record for Tarentum Boro Water Department (PA5020055) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tarentum Boro Water Department water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows 1 current noncompliance record and zero current records classified as health-based. That classification is not a property-specific water test or safety guarantee.

How many people does Tarentum Boro Water Department serve?

Tarentum Boro Water Department serves approximately 4,927 people across 1 ZIP code in Pennsylvania.

Where does Tarentum Boro 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
87

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) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration 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

Is water from Tarentum Boro Water Department safe to drink?
Tarentum Boro Water Department has a D safety grade based on 21 recorded violations. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits - independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in Tarentum Boro Water Department's water?
Detected contaminants include Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), E. coli, Revised Total Coliform Rule, Chlorite. 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 Tarentum Boro Water Department serve?
Tarentum Boro Water Department serves approximately 4,927 people with drinking water across 1 ZIP code.
What is Tarentum Boro Water Department's water source?
Tarentum Boro Water Department draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Tarentum Boro Water Department's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.00181 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Tarentum Boro Water Department's service area?
The Tarentum Boro Water Department service area has a median household income of $61,660. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Tarentum Boro Water Department get its water?
Tarentum Boro 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 the exported violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is classified as elevated.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Tarentum Boro Water Department (PA): 4 Health Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/pa5020055/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-pa5020055,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Tarentum Boro Water Department (PA): 4 Health Violations}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/pa5020055/}
}

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 โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

Tarentum Boro Water Department (EPA ID: PA5020055) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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