Should you drink Philly’s tap water?

Philadelphia’s tap water meets federal drinking water standards but falls far short of public health goals when it comes to cancer-causing chemicals.

By: Christine Kirchhoff, Penn State, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: July 30, 2026

Words: 1,403

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 6 days ago

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By Christine Kirchhoff, Penn State

If you live in Philly and want to know information about your tap water quality, start with the latest consumer confidence report, which is required to be produced annually by every community water system in the country. Most people never read them, but the reports provide essential information about drinking water quality.

Like other large water systems, the Philadelphia Water Department publishes this information online, including the most recent …

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