Health Violations Found PA 1 HEALTH VIOLATION

Houtzdale Municipal Authority

EPA ID: PA6170023 · 8,410 people served · 15 ZIP codes

Within the five-year EPA monitoring span, Houtzdale Municipal Authority accumulated 4 violations — every finding has been resolved and the utility operates in full compliance today, supplying water to approximately 8,410 people without any active enforcement proceedings.

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

D · 52
Avg Safety Score
8,410
People Served
15
ZIP Codes Served
4
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
Zone 1
Radon Risk · High
4
Contaminants Flagged
$111K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Compliance Trajectory

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

Violations went from 15 (2021) to 4 (2023). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Houtzdale Municipal Authority Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary — Grade D

Service Area Demographics

$57,071
Median Household Income
25,065
Service Area Population
54%
Disadvantaged Population
65th
Poverty Percentile
84th
Energy Burden Percentile
77%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Houtzdale Municipal Authority serves a community with a median household income of $57,071 and an estimated 25,065 residents across its service area. Approximately 77% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 54% 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?

Surface Water

Houtzdale Municipal 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.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
39th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
43th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 2% of homes in Blair 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

70 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Pipe Material
6 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Accelerating Decay
Decay Status
Installed 92% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Houtzdale Municipal Authority compares to EPA limits

Chlorite 1 mg/L (100% of limit)
0 EPA Limit: 1 mg/L
Anemia and nervous system effects in infants and children
Barium 1 mg/L (50% of limit)
0 EPA Limit: 2 mg/L

What This Means For You

Contaminant 2033 at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Fecal Coliform at 1 presence exceeds the EPA maximum of presence.

Chlorite was detected in this water system. ferrous sulfate reduction filtration can reduce exposure.

Find a certified water filter →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Pennsylvania

F 18 violations
C 23 violations
C 1 violation
0 violations
D 3 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Radon Mitigation Flood Insurance Water Filtration
Radon Mitigation $1,040
Flood Insurance $840
Water Filtration $40
Total Estimated Cost $1,920

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 $500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$2,500
10 years
$5,000
20 years
$10,000

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $1,920 (one-time) vs. $5,000 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

HOUTZDALE MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY (EPA ID: PA6170023) is a community water system in Pennsylvania that serves approximately 8,410 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 15 ZIP codes across 14 communities.

Average Home Safety Score: D (52/100)

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

Violation History

1 health-based violation recorded in the past 5 years. All violations have been resolved.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
July 1, 2025 Chlorite Monitoring Resolved
January 1, 2023 Contaminant 2033 Monitoring Resolved

Contaminants Detected

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

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Barium Inorganic 1 No
Contaminant 2033 Other Violation 1 No
Chlorite Disinfection Byproducts 1 No
Fecal Coliform Microbiological 1 Yes

Lead & Copper

No Lead and Copper Rule sampling data available for this water system.

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: 13 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.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Houtzdale Municipal Authority (PA6170023) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Houtzdale Municipal Authority water safe to drink?

Houtzdale Municipal Authority has recorded 1 health-based violation 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 Houtzdale Municipal Authority serve?

Houtzdale Municipal Authority serves approximately 8,410 people across 15 ZIP codes in Pennsylvania.

Where does Houtzdale Municipal Authority get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Treatment regime

How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.

Treatment classification
Minimal — disinfection only
Disinfection (typically chlorine) without additional filtration or coagulation stages. Common for groundwater systems where source water meets federal standards after disinfection alone.

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.

Disinfectant
Inactivates bacteria, viruses, and parasites in the treated water.
CHLORINE

Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from HOUTZDALE MUNICIPAL 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.

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
20
Galvanized — Replacement Required
1,622
Unknown Material
1,193
Confirmed Non-Lead

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: 8,410
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 Houtzdale Municipal Authority safe to drink?
Houtzdale Municipal Authority has a D safety grade based on 4 recorded violations. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits — independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in Houtzdale Municipal Authority's water?
Detected contaminants include Contaminant 2033, Chlorite, Fecal Coliform, Barium. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 2 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 Houtzdale Municipal Authority serve?
Houtzdale Municipal Authority serves approximately 8,410 people with drinking water across 15 ZIP codes.
What is Houtzdale Municipal Authority's water source?
Houtzdale Municipal Authority draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of Houtzdale Municipal Authority's service area?
The Houtzdale Municipal Authority service area has a median household income of $57,071. EPA EJScreen data classifies 54% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Houtzdale Municipal Authority get its water?
Houtzdale Municipal 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. 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

Houtzdale Municipal Authority (EPA ID: PA6170023) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

Home Water Systems Pennsylvania Houtzdale Municipal Authority

Get safety alerts for Houtzdale Municipal Authority, Pennsylvania

Free updates when EPA data changes for this area. No spam.

Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy Policy.

Share This Page

X Facebook
Violations found — check filter options Free tool — no phone call required.