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Comprehensive Consumer Confidence Report for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Above-average water quality that meets EPA safety standards
View detailed city report →Contaminant levels compared to EPA maximum limits
Just 13% of the EPA action level (90th-percentile result). Lead is not in Philadelphia's source water — it can leach from older lead service lines or in-home plumbing, which is why PWD adds a corrosion inhibitor.
A disinfection byproduct formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in river water. PWD reports levels within the 80 ppb federal limit.
The other main chlorination byproduct of treating surface water. Reported within the 60 ppb EPA limit.
Every regulated contaminant PWD tested came in well below its EPA limit, so Philadelphia earns a perfect contaminant sub-score. The B grade reflects compliance/monitoring history, not contamination.
Because Philadelphia draws entirely from two rivers, its source water is more exposed to upstream runoff, wastewater, and stormwater than groundwater supplies — so PWD relies on full conventional filtration and continuous monitoring rather than a naturally protected aquifer.
PWD operates one of the country's longest-running source-water protection programs across the Delaware and Schuylkill watersheds to keep contaminants out before treatment even begins.
PWD uses conventional treatment — coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, and rapid sand filtration — to remove particles, sediment, and turbidity from river water.
Chlorine is added to kill bacteria and viruses and to maintain a protective residual throughout the distribution system all the way to your tap.
PWD adds a corrosion inhibitor (orthophosphate) that coats pipe interiors, reducing lead and copper leaching from older service lines and household plumbing.
Fluoride is added at a low, controlled level for dental-health benefits, consistent with federal public-health guidance.
No Health-Based Violations
Philadelphia has no health-based (Maximum Contaminant Level) violations — its water has consistently met the standards that protect against harmful contaminant levels. EPA records show one unresolved non-health-based item (a monitoring/reporting-type violation); earlier items of the same type have been resolved. This compliance history is why the city grades a B rather than an A despite a perfect contaminant score.
View the complete Consumer Confidence Report on the Philadelphia Water Department website:
water.phila.gov →Call PWD Customer Service at (215) 685-6300 to request a printed copy of the annual Drinking Water Quality Report.
Utility: Philadelphia Water Department (PWD)
Public Water System ID: PA1510001
Population served: about 1.6 million
Yes. Philadelphia's tap water meets federal EPA safety standards and scores a B (78/100) in our rankings, with all tested contaminants — including lead at just 2 ppb — well below EPA limits and no health-based (MCL) violations. The Philadelphia Water Department treats and tests the water continuously. Some residents still filter for taste or as extra protection against lead that can enter from old home plumbing.
Philadelphia draws 100% of its drinking water from two rivers — the Delaware River (treated at the Baxter plant) and the Schuylkill River (treated at the Belmont and Queen Lane plants). The city uses no groundwater wells for public supply, so all of its water is filtered and disinfected surface water.
The most-watched contaminants are disinfection byproducts (TTHMs and HAA5) that form when chlorine reacts with organic matter in river water, plus trace lead that can leach from older service lines and household plumbing (not the source water). All reported levels are within EPA limits, and PWD adds a corrosion inhibitor specifically to keep lead low.
It's optional — the water is already safe. The most common reasons Philadelphia residents filter are chlorine taste from the river-water disinfection and extra lead protection in older row homes. A certified pitcher or under-sink filter handles both. A good, renter-friendly option is the Clearly Filtered pitcher, which is independently lab-tested to reduce lead, chlorine, and disinfection byproducts with no installation.
The Philadelphia Water Department publishes its annual Consumer Confidence Report (Drinking Water Quality Report) online at water.phila.gov. You can also request a printed copy by calling PWD Customer Service at (215) 685-6300.