PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT vs CITY OF BALTIMORE
Water quality comparison — risk levels, violations, PFAS records, and contaminants
Quick Answer
Both utilities share the same risk level (safe). PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT has 0 open health-based violations and 0 PFAS records. CITY OF BALTIMORE has 0 open health-based violations and 0 PFAS records.
Pennsylvania · PA1510001
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
0
Open violations
0
PFAS records
Maryland · MD0300002
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
0
Open violations
0
PFAS records
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT | CITY OF BALTIMORE |
|---|---|---|
| State | Pennsylvania | Maryland |
| Risk Level | No Concerns Detected | No Concerns Detected |
| Population Served | 1,600,000 | 1,600,000 |
| Open Health Violations | 0 | 0 |
| Total Violations | 8 | 33 |
| PFAS Records | None detected | None detected |
| Ownership | Local | Local |
| Service Type | Surface water | Surface water |
| City Served | Philadelphia | Baltimore |
Contaminants in Violation Records
PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT
- Nitrate
CITY OF BALTIMORE
- Bromate
- Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
- Coliform (TCR)
- E. coli
Key Differences
These utilities are in different states: Pennsylvania and Maryland. State regulatory programs differ in stringency and monitoring frequency.
What Should I Do?
If either utility shows open violations or elevated PFAS records, consider:
- Installing a reverse osmosis filter — removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, nitrates, and most heavy metals.
- Requesting your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for the most current test results.
- Ordering a certified lab water test if you want contaminant-specific data for your address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is safer — PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT or CITY OF BALTIMORE?
Both utilities share the same risk level (safe). Both utilities have similar violation profiles — review the full data above to decide based on specific contaminants that concern you.
What does "open health-based violation" mean?
An open health-based violation means a water system has exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or failed to meet a treatment technique — and the violation has not yet been resolved. These are the most serious type of water quality violations.
How current is this data?
Violation data comes from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), which is updated as utilities report. PFAS data comes from EPA's UCMR 5 monitoring (2023–2025). Risk levels are recalculated daily.
What does PWSID mean?
PWSID stands for Public Water System ID — a unique federal identifier assigned to each community water system. You can use it to look up a system in EPA's ECHO database.