Water Quality: Altoona, PA
3 water systems • 62,795 people served
Multiple Health ViolationsWater Quality Summary
Altoona is served by 3 public water systems with a combined service population of 62,795 people, and has 135 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 4 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Altoona's violation count is 50% below the national average for Pennsylvania. Contaminants associated with violations include Contaminant 1085, E. coli, Fecal Coliform.
Contaminants Found
Causes gastrointestinal illness; certain strains (e.g., O157:H7) can cause severe kidney failure and death.
Common source: Fecal contamination from humans or animals entering the water supply
EPA limit: Zero (no E. coli permitted in drinking water)
Indicates direct fecal contamination; associated with diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and potential severe illness.
Common source: Human and animal fecal waste
EPA limit: Zero tolerance (any positive triggers violations)
Water Systems Serving Altoona
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY | PA4070023 | Surface Water | 62,500 | 114 |
| BROOKWOOD COUNTRYSIDE | PA4050004 | Groundwater | 200 | 15 |
| WESTWOOD PARK WATER CO | PA4070059 | Groundwater | 95 | 6 |
Concerned About Your Water?
A home water filter can remove common contaminants. NSF-certified filters are tested against EPA standards.
Consider a reverse osmosis system for comprehensive filtration or a carbon filter for basic improvement.
Other Cities in Pennsylvania
Data Sources
Drinking water violation data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Data includes all recorded violations for active community water systems.