HAA5 Contamination

HAA5 in Pennsylvania Drinking Water

Ranked by average HAA5 concentration (µg/L) · UCMR 4 data (2018–2020) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

128

Cities Tested

Exceeds Limit

% Exceeds Limit

19.9 µg/L

State Avg

▼ 0% vs national

vs National

487

Health Violations

Analysis

HAA5 in Pennsylvania: what the data shows

Pennsylvania has 128 cities with HAA5 monitoring data from the EPA's UCMR 4 program (2018–2020). Haloacetic acids (HAA5) form when chlorine-based disinfectants react with natural organic matter in water. The state average is 19.9 µg/L — better than the 15.5 µg/L national average. 1 city exceeds the EPA MCL of 60 µg/L. HAA5 is a group of five chlorinated and brominated acetic acids. Long-term exposure above the MCL is associated with increased cancer risk and adverse reproductive outcomes. The EPA classifies total HAA5 as a probable human carcinogen at elevated concentrations. Activated carbon filtration (especially granular or block carbon) is effective at reducing HAA5. Running water through a refrigerator filter or letting it sit in an open pitcher for 30 minutes also helps, as some HAA5 species are volatile. Boiling does not remove disinfection byproducts and may concentrate them.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 60 µg/L EPA MCL

Pennsylvania

1 of 128 cities

← = Exactly at national rate

National avg

23 of 4420 cities

City Map

HAA5 data across Pennsylvania

Each dot is a city with UCMR 4 HAA5 testing data. Cities where average HAA5 exceeded the 60 µg/L EPA MCL are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by haa5 level in Pennsylvania

Highest HAA5 levels (µg/L)

All Cities

All Pennsylvania cities ranked by haa5 level

#	City	Level	Exceeds?	Violations	Grade
1	Shamokin	60.2 µg/L	Yes	18	F
2	Hooversville	54.5 µg/L	No	12	C
3	Ephrata	50.3 µg/L	No	21	C
4	Ambridge	48.7 µg/L	No	19	F
5	Fairless Hills	48.5 µg/L	No	15	D+
6	Sharon	47.4 µg/L	No	26	F
7	Levittown	46.4 µg/L	No	4	B
8	Northampton	44.0 µg/L	No	45	F
9	Chester	41.9 µg/L	No	0	B
10	Fredericktown	41.3 µg/L	No	85	F
11	Belle Vernon	40.5 µg/L	No	13	D
12	Monroeville	39.1 µg/L	No	4	A
13	Greensburg	38.3 µg/L	No	19	D
14	Yardley	37.3 µg/L	No	1	B+
15	Morrisville	37.2 µg/L	No	39	D
16	Harrisburg	37.1 µg/L	No	26	F
17	Bedford	35.7 µg/L	No	50	F
18	Oakmont	35.0 µg/L	No	0	A
19	Blairsville	33.0 µg/L	No	22	F
20	Uniontown	33.0 µg/L	No	0	A-
21	Columbia	32.9 µg/L	No	46	F
22	Bethlehem	32.7 µg/L	No	29	F
23	Waynesboro	32.3 µg/L	No	7	D
24	Bradford	31.2 µg/L	No	6	C+
25	Lancaster	30.3 µg/L	No	68	F
26	Lehighton	29.1 µg/L	No	53	F
27	New Kensington	28.7 µg/L	No	0	A
28	Jefferson	28.6 µg/L	No	2	A-
29	Carlisle	28.1 µg/L	No	13	F
30	Clearfield	27.9 µg/L	No	3	A-
31	Johnstown	27.8 µg/L	No	55	D
32	Erie	27.8 µg/L	No	35	D
33	Philadelphia	27.5 µg/L	No	14	B
34	Saint Marys	27.5 µg/L	No	10	B-
35	Greenville	27.1 µg/L	No	22	D
36	Hazleton	27.1 µg/L	No	6	D+
37	Slippery Rock	26.9 µg/L	No	8	F
38	Charleroi	26.6 µg/L	No	25	C-
39	Bryn Mawr	26.0 µg/L	No	36	F
40	Wilkes Barre	25.5 µg/L	No	2	B+
41	Spring City	24.9 µg/L	No	2	B+
42	Lebanon	24.7 µg/L	No	8	F
43	Red Lion	24.7 µg/L	No	0	C+
44	Beaver Falls	24.5 µg/L	No	22	F
45	York	23.9 µg/L	No	34	F
46	Derry	23.4 µg/L	No	1	B
47	Easton	23.3 µg/L	No	37	F
48	Huntingdon	22.7 µg/L	No	14	B-
49	Gettysburg	22.5 µg/L	No	37	F
50	Dallastown	22.2 µg/L	No	3	B+
51	Phoenixville	22.2 µg/L	No	13	C
52	Pittsburgh	22.1 µg/L	No	44	F
53	Shippensburg	22.1 µg/L	No	11	D
54	Latrobe	21.9 µg/L	No	4	B-
55	Dunbar	21.4 µg/L	No	12	B+
56	Mcmurry	20.3 µg/L	No	3	A
57	East Stroudsburg	20.0 µg/L	No	74	F
58	Reading	20.0 µg/L	No	91	F
59	Wyomissing	19.8 µg/L	No	0	A-
60	Scranton	19.7 µg/L	No	15	F
61	Warrington	19.3 µg/L	No	34	F
62	Philipsburg	19.0 µg/L	No	1	C
63	Pottstown	18.9 µg/L	No	29	F
64	Coatesville	18.8 µg/L	No	61	F
65	Clarks Summit	18.7 µg/L	No	6	C-
66	Richboro	18.1 µg/L	No	2	F
67	Williamsport	17.9 µg/L	No	19	F
68	Wilkinsburg	17.4 µg/L	No	6	B
69	Gibsonia	17.4 µg/L	No	0	A+
70	New Castle	17.2 µg/L	No	12	F
71	St Thomas	16.9 µg/L	No	6	B
72	Bloomsburg	16.8 µg/L	No	6	F
73	Natrona Heights	16.5 µg/L	No	12	B-
74	Oakdale	16.2 µg/L	No	12	C-
75	Cranberry Twp	15.9 µg/L	No	2	B+
76	Milton	15.8 µg/L	No	15	F
77	North Wales	15.7 µg/L	No	22	F
78	Hanover	15.2 µg/L	No	6	B
79	Pottsville	15.2 µg/L	No	13	C-
80	Clinton	15.2 µg/L	No	5	B
81	Allentown	15.1 µg/L	No	66	F
82	Dover	14.9 µg/L	No	16	F
83	Horsham	14.1 µg/L	No	1	F
84	Sunbury	13.6 µg/L	No	6	C-
85	Norristown	13.6 µg/L	No	23	F
86	Mount Union	13.4 µg/L	No	52	F
87	Moon Township	13.3 µg/L	No	1	B
88	Hummelstown	12.6 µg/L	No	35	C+
89	Mcmurray	12.6 µg/L	No	2	A-
90	Southampton	12.6 µg/L	No	9	D
91	Aliquippa	12.4 µg/L	No	9	F
92	Jamison	12.2 µg/L	No	1	B+
93	Lansdale	11.9 µg/L	No	22	F
94	Warminster	11.8 µg/L	No	1	D
95	Milroy	11.6 µg/L	No	2	B
96	Mechanicsburg	11.5 µg/L	No	13	F
97	Newtown	11.3 µg/L	No	25	F
98	Altoona	11.0 µg/L	No	64	F
99	Quakertown	10.6 µg/L	No	12	F
100	Chambersburg	10.6 µg/L	No	49	F
101	South Heights	8.1 µg/L	No	1	A-
102	Allison Park	7.8 µg/L	No	0	A
103	Spring Mills	7.3 µg/L	No	10	F
104	Elizabethtown	7.3 µg/L	No	87	F
105	Beaver	6.6 µg/L	No	0	F
106	Boiling Springs	5.4 µg/L	No	5	C+
107	Mount Joy	5.3 µg/L	No	8	B+
108	Meadville	4.2 µg/L	No	21	F
109	Sellersville	4.2 µg/L	No	9	F
110	Warren	3.8 µg/L	No	7	D
111	Oil City	3.5 µg/L	No	2	A
112	Portage	3.3 µg/L	No	7	F
113	Morgantown	2.9 µg/L	No	145	F
114	Northern Cambria	2.9 µg/L	No	1	D
115	Sayre	2.5 µg/L	No	6	C-
116	State College	2.5 µg/L	No	3	D
117	Kutztown	2.3 µg/L	No	21	F
118	Ambler	2.1 µg/L	No	4	F
119	Landisville	1.8 µg/L	No	2	B-
120	University Park	1.8 µg/L	No	0	C
121	Honey Brook	1.4 µg/L	No	3	F
122	Alum Bank	1.3 µg/L	No	2	B+
123	East Bangor	1.0 µg/L	No	1	B-
124	Tobyhanna	1.0 µg/L	No	10	F
125	Dillsburg	0.9 µg/L	No	1	B+
126	Emmaus	0.5 µg/L	No	16	C+
127	Whitehall	0.2 µg/L	No	32	B+
128	Bellefonte	0.0 µg/L	No	11	F

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about haa5 in Pennsylvania

What is HAA5 and why does it appear in Pennsylvania tap water?

HAA5 (haloacetic acids) are disinfection byproducts that form when chlorine reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in source water. They are a normal byproduct of the disinfection process that makes water safe to drink. 1 cities in Pennsylvania exceed the EPA MCL of 60 µg/L. The state average is 19.9 µg/L.

How can I reduce HAA5 exposure from Pennsylvania drinking water?

Activated carbon filters (granular or block) effectively reduce HAA5. Refrigerator filters and under-sink carbon systems are convenient options. Unlike lead or PFAS, HAA5 levels can also be reduced by letting water stand in an open container, as some species evaporate. Boiling does NOT remove HAA5 and can concentrate them by reducing water volume.

Which Pennsylvania cities have the highest HAA5 levels?

The cities with the highest average HAA5 concentrations in Pennsylvania are: Shamokin (60.2 µg/L), Hooversville (54.5 µg/L), Ephrata (50.3 µg/L), Ambridge (48.7 µg/L), Fairless Hills (48.5 µg/L). Note: this data is from UCMR 4 testing (2018–2020) and may not reflect current levels.

More contaminants