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PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY

PWS ID: PA3130012 · PALMERTON, Pennsylvania 18071

PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY serves 7,000 people in PALMERTON, Pennsylvania using Groundwater water sources. It has 205 recorded EPA violations, including 7 health-based violations. PFAS "forever chemicals" were detected in UCMR5 testing (8 compounds found).

Water Quality Snapshot: PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY

PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY is a private-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 7,000 residents in PALMERTON, Pennsylvania (Carbon County) through 2,245 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 205 total violations for this system , of which 7 (3%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 186 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2024.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Nitrate, recorded in 10 violations (MR). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 8 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 0.0425 ppt. PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Pennsylvania, EPA tracks 7,701 public water systems serving 12,630,061 people, with 1,159,868 cumulative violations and 68,517 health-based violations on record. About 97% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 150.6 violations. PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY's 205 violations sit above the Pennsylvania average. Statewide, 224 of 389 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (57.6%). All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

PFAS Detected

8 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Population Served
7,000
Total Violations
205
Health-Based Violations
7
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Private
Connections
2,245
County
Carbon
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
5
Monitoring Violations
186
Treatment Tech Violations
2

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Nitrate MR 10 2022
Asbestos MR 8 2020
Nitrite MR 8 2022
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 6 2022
TTHM MR 6 2022
Coliform (TCR) MCL 5 2000
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 5 2020
2,4-D MR 4 2011
2,4,5-TP MR 4 2011
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 4 2022
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 4 2022
DICHLOROMETHANE MR 4 2022
o-Dichlorobenzene MR 4 2022
p-Dichlorobenzene MR 4 2022
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 4 2022
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 4 2022
Carbon tetrachloride MR 4 2022
Trichloroethylene MR 4 2022
Tetrachloroethylene MR 4 2022
CHLOROBENZENE MR 4 2022
Ethylbenzene MR 4 2022
Styrene MR 4 2022
Groundwater Rule MR 4 2024
Toluene MR 4 2022
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 4 2022
1,2-Dichloropropane MR 4 2022
Benzene MR 4 2022
Endothall MR 4 2017
1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 4 2022
Xylenes, Total MR 4 2022

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 16 of 120 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFTrDA 9/23/2025 <0.007 µg/L 0.007 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxA 9/23/2025 0.0107 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Detected
PFPeA 9/23/2025 0.0112 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Detected
NMeFOSAA 9/23/2025 <0.006 µg/L 0.006 µg/L Not Detected
PFEESA 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
NFDHA 9/23/2025 <0.02 µg/L 0.02 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeS 9/23/2025 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/23/2025 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFTA 9/23/2025 <0.008 µg/L 0.008 µg/L Not Detected
PFMPA 9/23/2025 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 9/23/2025 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
lithium 9/23/2025 <9 µg/L 9 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpS 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpA 9/23/2025 0.0106 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Detected
PFDoA 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFDA 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFOA 9/23/2025 0.0425 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Detected
PFOS 9/23/2025 0.0400 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Detected
PFMBA 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxS 9/23/2025 0.0104 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Detected
4:2 FTS 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFBS 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFUnA 9/23/2025 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/23/2025 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/23/2025 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
ADONA 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/23/2025 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFBA 9/23/2025 0.0062 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Detected
6:2 FTS 9/23/2025 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFNA 9/23/2025 0.0211 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Detected
PFDoA 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/23/2025 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpS 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFUnA 9/23/2025 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxA 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFDA 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFOA 9/23/2025 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFOS 9/23/2025 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFNA 9/23/2025 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxS 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFBS 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
ADONA 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpA 9/23/2025 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
lithium 9/23/2025 <9 µg/L 9 µg/L Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/23/2025 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/23/2025 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 9/23/2025 <0.006 µg/L 0.006 µg/L Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 9/23/2025 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFTA 9/23/2025 <0.008 µg/L 0.008 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeS 9/23/2025 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records — or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status — go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS — Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID PA3130012 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Pennsylvania Drinking Water Authority

Pennsylvania DEP — Bureau of Safe Drinking Water is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY under EPA-delegated authority.

Open PA regulator portal

Source: Pennsylvania DEP — Bureau of Safe Drinking Water

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2024 Groundwater Rule MR 4 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 0700
2023 Revised Total Coliform Rule RPT 3 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 8000
2022 Nitrate MR 10 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 1040
2022 Nitrite MR 8 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 1041
2022 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 6 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 2456
2022 TTHM MR 6 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 2950
2022 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 4 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 2378
2022 cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 4 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 2380
2022 DICHLOROMETHANE MR 4 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 2964
2022 o-Dichlorobenzene MR 4 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 2968
2022 p-Dichlorobenzene MR 4 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 2969
2022 1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 4 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 2977
2022 1,2-Dichloroethane MR 4 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 2980
2022 Carbon tetrachloride MR 4 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 2982
2022 Trichloroethylene MR 4 SDWIS / PA3130012 / 2984

How PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY Pennsylvania avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 205 150.6 SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 7 8.9 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 8 compounds 57.6% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 7,000 1,640 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 7,701 regulated public water systems in Pennsylvania.

Federal MCL reference — Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY water safe to drink? ▼
PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY (PWS ID: PA3130012) has 205 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 8 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 7,000 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY serve? ▼
PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY serves 7,000 people in PALMERTON, Pennsylvania. It is a Private-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 2,245 service connections.
What type of violations does PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY have? ▼
PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY has 205 total violations: 7 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 186 monitoring/reporting violations, and 2 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 8 PFAS compounds in PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY's water supply: PFHxA, PFPeA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFOS, and others. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY use? ▼
PALMERTON MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY uses Groundwater as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from? ▼
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

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Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from $official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by Kiznis Studio Editorial