Is Altoona Tap Water Safe to Drink?

Can You Drink Tap Water in Altoona?

Yes, Altoona's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Altoona has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.

According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Altoona's water utility, Altoona Water Authority, had 5 non-health-based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. The last violation for Altoona was resolved on Dec. 31, 2019. This assessment is based on the Altoona Water Authority water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.

While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.

The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.

Altoona Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years

Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named Altoona Water Authority for Altoona in Pennsylvania. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.

From Oct. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2019, Altoona had 5 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violations with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring and Reporting (DBP) which falls into the Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code group, and the Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code family for the following contaminant codes: Bromate, Bromate, Bromate, Bromate, Bromate.

For the compliance period beginning Feb. 1, 2019, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Reporting Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Report Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Total Coliform Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Revised Total Coliform Rule.

From Jan. 1, 2019 to Jan. 31, 2019, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Turbidity (Enhanced SWTR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Surface Water Treatment Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule.

For the compliance period beginning Jan. 1, 2019, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Reporting Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Report Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Total Coliform Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Revised Total Coliform Rule.

From Jan. 1, 2019 to March 31, 2019, Altoona had 2 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violations with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Synthetic Organic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant codes: Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate.

From Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2019, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Inorganic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant code: Arsenic.

From Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2019, Altoona had 2 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violations with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Inorganic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant codes: Nitrate, Nitrite.

For the compliance period beginning Dec. 1, 2018, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Reporting Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Report Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Total Coliform Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Revised Total Coliform Rule.

For the compliance period beginning Nov. 1, 2018, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Reporting Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Report Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Total Coliform Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Revised Total Coliform Rule.

From Oct. 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2018, Altoona had 2 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violations with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Synthetic Organic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant codes: Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate.

From June 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Surface Water Treatment Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Surface Water Treatment Rule.

From April 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring and Reporting (DBP) which falls into the Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code group, and the Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: Chlorine.

From Feb. 1, 2018 to Feb. 28, 2018, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Turbidity (Enhanced SWTR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Surface Water Treatment Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule.

From Jan. 1, 2017 to Dec. 31, 2017, Altoona had 5 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violations with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Synthetic Organic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant codes: 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE, ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE, Toxaphene, Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), Chlordane.

From Oct. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2016, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Synthetic Organic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant code: Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate.

From May 1, 2016 to May 31, 2016, Altoona had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Treatment Technique Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Treatment Technique (SWTR and GWR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Surface Water Treatment Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Surface Water Treatment Rule.

From Jan. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2016, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Inorganic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant code: Arsenic.

From Jan. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2016, Altoona had 11 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violations with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Inorganic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant codes: Barium, Cadmium, Chromium, CYANIDE, Fluoride, Mercury, Nickel, Selenium, Antimony, Total, Beryllium, Total, Thallium, Total.

From Jan. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2016, Altoona had 2 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violations with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Inorganic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant codes: Nitrate, Nitrite.

From Jan. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2016, Altoona had 20 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violations with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Volatile Organic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant codes: 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Xylenes, Total, DICHLOROMETHANE, o-Dichlorobenzene, p-Dichlorobenzene, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, 1,2-Dichloroethane, Carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-Dichloropropane, Trichloroethylene, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, Tetrachloroethylene, Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Styrene, CHLOROBENZENE, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane.

From Jan. 1, 2014 to Jan. 31, 2014, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Surface Water Treatment Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Surface Water Treatment Rule.

From Oct. 1, 2013 to Dec. 31, 2013, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring and Reporting (DBP) which falls into the Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code group, and the Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: Bromate.

From June 1, 2013 to June 30, 2013, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Turbidity (Enhanced SWTR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Surface Water Treatment Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule.

From Jan. 1, 2013 to Dec. 31, 2013, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Inorganic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant code: Fluoride.

From Oct. 1, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2012, Altoona had 5 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violations with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Synthetic Organic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant codes: Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate.

From April 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012, Altoona had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring and Reporting (DBP) which falls into the Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code group, and the Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: CARBON, TOTAL.

Is there Lead in Altoona Water?

Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Altoona water system, Altoona Water Authority, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.00059 mg/L of lead in Altoona water. This is 3.9% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Altoona contained more lead.

While Altoona water testing may have found 0.00059 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.

No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.

Are there PFAS in Altoona Tap Water?

Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Johnstown AASF #2/Readiness Center - near Altoona with suspected leaks.

With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Altoona has been evaluated for yet.

Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.

Altoona SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years

What do these Violations Mean?

Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.

Health Based Violations

1. Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
2. Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
3. Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.

Non-Health Based Violations

1. Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
2. Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
3. Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.

SDWA Table Key

For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.