Is tap water safe in Philadelphia?

EPA SDWIS shows no active health-based violation in this profile's reporting window. That is not the same as proving every contaminant is absent, and federal data can lag state and utility records.

How hard is the water in Philadelphia, PA?

Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 85.2 ppm (5 grains per gallon), classified as moderately hard. This is not a tap measurement.

Do I need a water softener in ZIP code 19154?

There is no high-hardness trigger in this profile. Confirm conditions with an at-home hardness test before purchasing equipment.

City water profile

Philadelphia water quality

Compare local ZIP estimates, evidence quality, associated public systems, and compliance history for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Median indexed hardness

81PPM

49 indexed ZIPs

Range 81.1–85.2 PPM

State comparison: 3 PPM below
State hardness rank: #38 of 50
Matched utilities: 1
Active health records: 0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Philadelphia has 49 published ZIP profiles across Philadelphia County. The indexed median is 81 PPM, compared with 84 PPM across Pennsylvania.

Among the 50 Pennsylvaniacities with an indexed median, Philadelphia ranks #38from highest to lowest. Across all 139 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 43to 166.5 PPM.

The 81.1–85.2 PPM range shows how much the available ZIP estimates vary within the city label.

Hardness distribution

How local ZIP estimates compare

Soft0 ZIPs

Moderately hard49 ZIPs

Hard0 ZIPs

Very hard0 ZIPs

49 of 49 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance: 2.2 miles
Profiles with evidence: 49/49

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 49Low: 0

Observation window: Jan 4, 2016 to Jun 10, 2026.

ZIP directory

Water reports in Philadelphia

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

19102

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 1.5 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19103

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 1.9 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19104

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 2.7 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19106

Moderately Hard

81.5 PPM

Nearest site: 0.2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19107

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 1.1 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19108

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 1.5 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19109

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 1.3 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19111

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 3.2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19112

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 1.2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19114

Moderately Hard

82.6 PPM

Nearest site: 6.3 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19115

Moderately Hard

81.8 PPM

Nearest site: 5.9 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19116

Moderately Hard

83.5 PPM

Nearest site: 5 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19118

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 3.5 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19119

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 2.7 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19120

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 1.7 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19121

Moderately Hard

81.8 PPM

Nearest site: 2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19122

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 2.2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19123

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 1.2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19124

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 0.1 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19125

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 2.2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19126

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 3.5 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19127

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 1.4 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19128

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 2.7 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19129

Moderately Hard

81.5 PPM

Nearest site: 0.7 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19130

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 2.4 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19131

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 1.9 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19132

Moderately Hard

81.5 PPM

Nearest site: 1.6 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19133

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 2.8 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19134

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19135

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 2.5 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19136

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 4.4 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19137

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 2.1 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19138

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 3.8 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19139

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19140

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 2.6 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19141

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 3 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19142

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 0.8 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19143

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 1 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19144

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19145

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 2.8 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19146

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 2.4 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19147

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 1.1 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19148

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 2.2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19149

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 2.2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19150

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 4.4 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19151

Moderately Hard

81.8 PPM

Nearest site: 1.3 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19152

Moderately Hard

81.2 PPM

Nearest site: 4.1 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19153

Moderately Hard

81.1 PPM

Nearest site: 1.5 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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ZIP code

19154

Moderately Hard

85.2 PPM

Nearest site: 5.6 mi
Confidence: Moderate

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Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

Philadelphia Water Department

PWSID PA1510001

Surface water

System population served: 1,600,000
Last reported: Jun 15, 2026

A municipal system, in-state city, and served county all agree with this Census ZCTA.

Compliance history

What EPA records show

No active health-based violation appears among the associated systems in the represented EPA reporting quarter. This does not mean every contaminant was tested at every tap.

Record	System	Period	Status
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule	PA1510001	Mar 1, 2026	Archived
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule	PA1510001	Sep 1, 2025	Resolved
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule	PA1510001	Dec 1, 2024	Resolved
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule	PA1510001	Jun 1, 2023	Resolved
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule	PA1510001	Jun 1, 2022	Resolved

Practical next steps

Move from index to evidence

1. Open your ZIP. Check distance, dates, confidence, and the associated utility.
2. Read the current CCR. Confirm source water, detections, limits, ranges, and notices.
3. Test the tap when needed. Confirm health concerns or treatment sizing with the right method.

Continue comparing

Other Pennsylvania communities

Chester

Delaware County

81 PPM median

Erie

Erie County

83 PPM median

Downingtown

Chester County

83 PPM median

Horsham

Montgomery County

84 PPM median

Phoenixville

Chester County

85 PPM median

Altoona

Blair County

86 PPM median

Search all 50 Pennsylvania cities →

Questions people ask

About water in Philadelphia

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 81 PPM. Open the ZIP report to verify the distance and confidence behind that estimate.

Is the tap water safe?

Compliance history is utility-wide and cannot guarantee conditions at every tap. Check current notices and test when address-specific evidence is needed.

Do I need treatment?

Choose treatment only after confirming the problem at the property. A softener targets hardness; contaminant treatment requires a matching, verified performance claim.