MS / Philadelphia
MS · Tap water records
Philadelphia tap water, in plain English
Here is what the EPA's own data shows about tap water in Philadelphia. According to EPA SDWIS data retrieved June 2026, Philadelphia is served by 6 active community water systems, together reported to serve about 24,485 people.
As of June 2026, EPA records show 114 violations across the community water system(s) serving Philadelphia, going back to the earliest EPA record. None were health-based; the records are monitoring or reporting violations (a required test or report was late or missed). Each is listed by system below, with its status.
What the EPA has on record, by system
City Of Philadelphia
6,921 served · groundwater · PWSID MS0500008 - Monitoring TTHM: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 7 times between January 2023 and January 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 7 times between January 2023 and January 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Revised Total Coliform Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times in November 2020. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2008. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Central W/A-East Side
6,442 served · groundwater · PWSID MS0500004 - Monitoring TTHM: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 7 times between January 2023 and January 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 7 times between January 2023 and January 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2008. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2004 and July 2005. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Central W/A-Southwest
5,312 served · groundwater · PWSID MS0500009 - Monitoring TTHM: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 9 times between January 2023 and January 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 9 times between January 2023 and January 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2008. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2004 and July 2005. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Central W/A-House
3,186 served · groundwater · PWSID MS0500005 - Monitoring TTHM: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 9 times between January 2023 and January 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 9 times between January 2023 and January 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2008. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2004 and July 2005. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Central W/A-Arlington
1,460 served · groundwater · PWSID MS0500001 - Monitoring TTHM: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 7 times between January 2023 and January 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 7 times between January 2023 and January 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2008. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2004 and July 2005. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Central W/A-North Pearl River
1,164 served · groundwater · PWSID MS0500007 - Monitoring TTHM: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 9 times between January 2023 and January 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 9 times between January 2023 and January 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2008. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2004 and July 2005. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
What this means
A health-based violation means a contaminant was recorded above the limit the EPA tracks for it. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was late or missed — not that a contaminant was measured above a limit. “Returned to compliance” means the EPA recorded the issue as resolved.
This page summarizes the EPA's own records and does not assess whether your water is safe to drink. For the most current details, you can verify every record directly with the EPA, and contact your water system with questions.
Source: U.S. EPA Envirofacts SDWIS, retrieved June 2026. Records cover the EPA's full reporting history for these systems. Verify at EPA ECHO.