Pittsburgh Tap Water Quality Report
Pittsburgh's water has 3 contaminants above EPA MCLGs. Consider using a certified water filter for additional protection.
Other systems listed for Pittsburgh with results above guidelines: PA AMER WATER CO-PITTSBURGH (2 above guidelines), VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM HEINZ (2 above guidelines), RESERVE TWP WATER DEPT (3 above guidelines), WILKINSBURG-PENN JT WATER AUTH (2 above guidelines)
Water system
PITTSBURGH WATER & SEWER AUTH
5 other systems are listed for Pittsburgh. See their figures
People Served
520,000
Health-based violations since 2020
0
PITTSBURGH WATER & SEWER AUTH. EPA SDWA violation data as of Q2 2026 (downloaded 2026-07-09).
Latest sample on file
Oct 2025 · PITTSBURGH WATER & SEWER AUTH
Utilities publish newer results in their annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report).
Is Pittsburgh Tap Water Safe to Drink?
We recommend using a certified water filter for additional protection, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems. Pittsburgh's water has 3 contaminants above EPA health-based guidelines (MCLGs), while it meets federal legal limits.
PITTSBURGH WATER & SEWER AUTH, Pittsburgh's water system, serves 520,000 people. 5 other systems are listed for Pittsburgh. Each system's results are listed under its own name, never added to PITTSBURGH WATER & SEWER AUTH's. Water quality testing is conducted regularly and reported to the EPA. The latest sample on file for PITTSBURGH WATER & SEWER AUTH is from Oct 2025.
Boil water advisories are issued by water systems and state agencies, and they change from day to day. Boil water advisories in Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh Water Service Areas
What these numbers actually mean for Pittsburgh, PA
We read Pittsburgh, PA’s published record and send you a short report — which findings warrant a decision, which to ignore, and what to do about it. Including when the answer is nothing.
- 3 contaminants above EPA MCLGs and 6 contaminants with an EPA health goal detected in some samples (no level on file)
- 120 results on file
- 23 PFAS compounds on record
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Recommended Water Filters for Pittsburgh
Based on Pittsburgh's water quality data, these NSF-certified filters are recommended to remove contaminants above EPA MCLGs.
Culligan
ZeroWater
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
1.9 gpm
Daily Production
1 gpd
Highlights:
- Compact design
- Easy to set up
- Affordable
- NSF-42, NSF-53, NSF-401 certified
Removes 19 contaminants:
+14 more
Strontium, Molybdenum, Fluoride, Uranium, Lead, Total PFAS, Chlorine, 25, Phosphorus, Bicarbonate, Calcium, Carbonate, Magnesium, Sodium
Santevia
Bath Filter
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
0.36 gpm
Highlights:
- Organic cotton design reduces plastic used in construction
- Affordable upfront & ongoing cost
- The only bath filter that removed 100% chlorine with “normal” faster faucet flow
Removes 1 contaminants:
Waterdrop
A1
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
1 gpm
Highlights:
- Performance certified
- Lower price than Philips
- Hot water dispensing
- Compact design
Removes 5 contaminants:
Whirlpool Corporation
W11256135
NSF Certified:
Capacity
1001 gal
Filter Life
3 mo
Flow Rate
0.7 gpm
Removes 19 contaminants:
+14 more
Benzene, Carbofuran, Chlorine (Free), Chlorine (Total), Chlorine Dioxide, Chlorobenzene, Cryptosporidium, Ethylbenzene, Lead, Mercury, Metolachlor, Tetrachloroethylene, Toxaphene, Turbidity
Verify Your Water Quality with Independent Testing
With 3 contaminants above EPA MCLGs and 6 contaminants with an EPA health goal detected in some samples (no level on file), independent laboratory testing provides a second opinion and can track changes over time.
SimpleLab
Advanced Home Water Test
$269
Comprehensive water analysis testing over 200 contaminants including bacteria, heavy metals, and chemical compounds.
Tap Score
Haloacetic Acids (HAA9) Test
$275
Tests for disinfection byproducts formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water treatment.
Tap Score
Advanced Microplastics Test
$829
Cutting-edge testing for microplastics particles in drinking water using advanced laboratory techniques.
With 3 contaminants above health guidelines, you may want to explore water purification options. Learn how to make distilled water at home for applications like humidifiers, CPAP machines, and baby formula.
What Pittsburgh's water readings can explain
Utility-reported data for Pittsburgh includes a chlorine-based disinfectant — the readings behind these common tap water questions. We publish a city-level hardness figure for Pittsburgh, resolved from its water systems where they report one and estimated from county sampling where they do not. Each page starts with the hot-tap and cold-tap check, then shows what your own water system reported.
On a private well near Pittsburgh? Public-water results do not apply to private wells. See Allegheny County well water testing and USGS risk data — modeled arsenic, nitrate, and the tests to run.
Water softener cost and installation in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh's tap water measures 5.8 grains per gallon (99.7 mg/L) — moderately hard on the USGS scale, below the range where scale is usually worth treating.
Water softener cost for 5.8 gpg water in Pittsburgh — equipment and local installation labour for your ZIP code, with the sizing arithmetic shown in full. For the national picture first, read what a water softener costs — equipment, installation labour and ten-year ownership, each separated out. For Pennsylvania as a whole, read water softener cost in Pennsylvania — priced against the plumber wage published for the state.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pittsburgh Tap Water
Pittsburgh's water has 3 contaminants above EPA MCLGs. While the water meets federal legal limits, we recommend using a certified water filter for additional protection, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.
Spotted something off on this page?
Residents keep our data honest.
This form corrects our data; it does not reach PITTSBURGH WATER & SEWER AUTH. For a problem with your water now (discolored water, no water, low pressure, a leak), contact PITTSBURGH WATER & SEWER AUTH directly.
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