Southwestern Pa Water Authority
EPA ID: PA5300017 · 40,000 people served · 44 ZIP codes
Unlike fully compliant utilities, Southwestern Pa Water Authority has 1 outstanding EPA violation for approximately 40,000 residents.
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 27 (2021) to 67 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Southwestern Pa Water Authority Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Southwestern Pa Water Authority serves a community with a median household income of $65,545 and an estimated 153,895 residents across its service area. Approximately 82% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 37% 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?
Southwestern Pa 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 Washington 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 Southwestern Pa Water Authority compares to EPA limits
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.
Revised Total Coliform Rule at 9 presence exceeds the EPA maximum of presence.
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.
Surface Water Treatment Rule 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
SOUTHWESTERN PA WATER AUTH (EPA ID: PA5300017) is a community water system in Pennsylvania that serves approximately 40,000 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 44 ZIP codes across 44 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (58/100)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | E. coli | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 11, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| November 1, 2023 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| November 1, 2023 | E. coli | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 1, 2023 | Gross Alpha | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 9 | No |
| E. coli | Microbiological | 4 | No |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 3 | No |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 3 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 2 | No |
| Uranium | Radionuclides | 1 | No |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15344 | 0.00092 mg/L | No | N/A |
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 2 (Moderate 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: 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.
This system serves 44 ZIP codes:
15301 · 15311 · 15320 · 15322 · 15327 15329 · 15333 · 15337 · 15338 · 15341 15344 · 15345 · 15346 · 15349 · 15351 15352 · 15357 · 15360 · 15362 · 15364 15368 · 15370 · 15380 · 15401 · 15410 15413 · 15417 · 15420 · 15433 · 15435 15436 · 15442 · 15443 · 15444 · 15447 15449 · 15454 · 15458 · 15461 · 15468 15475 · 15476 · 15478 · 15480
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Southwestern Pa Water Authority (PA5300017) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Southwestern Pa Water Authority water safe to drink?
Southwestern Pa Water Authority has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.
How many people does Southwestern Pa Water Authority serve?
Southwestern Pa Water Authority serves approximately 40,000 people across 44 ZIP codes in Pennsylvania.
Where does Southwestern Pa 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 Southwestern Pennsylvania 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: Southwestern Pennsylvania 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.
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.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Southwestern Pennsylvania 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 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.
Southwestern Pennsylvania 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.
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
Southwestern Pa Water Authority (EPA ID: PA5300017) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.