Tap Water Quality Report
Tap water quality in ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania
Tap water in ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania receives a grade of F (55/100) from TapWaterSafety.org. It's served by LCA ALLENTOWN DIVISION. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline. Data sources: EPA SDWIS, EPA ECHO, EWG Tap Water Database.
What's in ALLENTOWN's tap water
Top water quality concerns identified by the EPA and Environmental Working Group across the utility serving ALLENTOWN.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 18.3 ppb, 305x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 16.3 ppb, 163x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 23.6 ppb, 158x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Recommended filters for ALLENTOWN
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in ALLENTOWN's water supply.
Reverse Osmosis or NSF P473 certified carbon
$80-$750Activated carbon and RO are the only technologies proven to remove PFAS at certified levels.
Carbon block (NSF/ANSI 42 + 53)
$40-$750Activated carbon is highly effective for disinfection byproducts like TTHM and HAA5.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
All contaminants detected in ALLENTOWN's tap water
Every contaminant identified, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal. Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
18.3 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 305× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
16.3 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 163× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
23.6 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 158× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
7.6 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 127× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
7.68 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 77× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
4.36 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 44× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.21 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 40× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
7.39 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 37× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.637 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 32× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
11.5 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 29× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
3.84 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 27× over |
| Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) Volatile organic compound |
0.738 ppb | 0.06 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 12× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
0.422 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 4.7× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
0.844 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 2.8× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
143.3 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
0.173 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Atrazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.0246 ppb | 0.1 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 100 | 0.15 | — | Below guideline |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.068 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
39.8 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Pentachlorophenol Other |
0.0108 ppb | 0.3 | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.134 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Selenium Heavy metal |
0.154 ppb | 30.0 | 50.0 | 20 | 40 | 30 | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
4.29 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
2.2 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
0.193 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
0.644 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
0.233 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.141 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Asbestos Other |
0.09 | — | 7.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (total) Heavy metal |
5.51 ppb | — | 100.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.508 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines, California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
Treatment plant contact info
For service issues, water quality concerns, or to request a Consumer Confidence Report from LCA ALLENTOWN DIVISION.