Home hazard report for 19179 — Philadelphia, PA
ZIP 19179 is served by Philadelphia Water Department: no health-based violations since 2016, latest lead result 2 ppb, PFAS 8.1 ppt. Philadelphia is in EPA radon zone 3.
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
90th-percentile lead in the latest round (Jun 2025). Lead comes mostly from household plumbing and service lines, so individual homes can be higher.
Highest PFOA or PFOS result in EPA’s 2023–2025 testing was at or above 4.0 ppt, EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant level for each. 8 PFAS compounds detected.
Predicted average under 2 pCi/L — but any home can have high radon, so EPA still recommends a test.
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code.
Active weather alerts
live from the National Weather ServiceChecking the National Weather Service…
Where ZIP 19179 is
blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Philadelphia Water Department
Health-based violations
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
Lead
90th-percentile lead per sampling round (90% of the homes sampled were at or below this level). Black line: EPA’s 15 ppb action level; under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements the action level becomes 10 ppb from 2027.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
| Compound | Highest result | Samples with detection | EPA limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFBS | 10 ppt | 7 of 12 | — |
| PFPeA | 9.9 ppt | 9 of 12 | — |
| PFHxA | 9.1 ppt | 10 of 12 | — |
| PFOA | 8.1 ppt | 8 of 12 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFBA | 7.6 ppt | 4 of 12 | — |
| PFOS | 6 ppt | 6 of 12 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFNA | 4.5 ppt | 2 of 12 | — |
| PFHpA | 3.3 ppt | 4 of 12 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 12 | — |
| PFHxS | not detected | 0 of 12 | — |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 12 | — |
EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5), samples 2023–2025; ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). The 4.0 ppt maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS were set by EPA in 2024; water systems have until the end of the decade to comply.
Radon in Philadelphia
EPA radon zone 3 — low potential. Predicted average under 2 pCi/L — but any home can have high radon, so EPA still recommends a test.
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas from soil and rock, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above and considering it from 2 pCi/L. A short-term test kit costs about $15–30. How radon zones work →
Superfund sites nearby
| Site | Status | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin Slag Pile (MDC) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · EPA ID PASFN0305549 | Active (final NPL) | 2.2 mi |
| Puchack Well Field Pennsauken Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD981084767 | Active (final NPL) | 3.9 mi |
| Swope Oil & Chemical Co. Pennsauken Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD041743220 | Active (final NPL) | 4.5 mi |
| Metal Banks Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · EPA ID PAD046557096 | Active (final NPL) | 5.0 mi |
| Martin Aaron, Inc. Camden, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD014623854 | Active (final NPL) | 5.2 mi |
| Welsbach & General Gas Mantle (Camden Radiation) Camden, Gloucester City, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD986620995 | Active (final NPL) | 5.7 mi |
| Publicker Industries Inc. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · EPA ID PAD981939200 | Cleaned up & deleted | 6.5 mi |
| Cinnaminson Township (Block 702) Ground Water Contamination Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD980785638 | Active (final NPL) | 7.1 mi |
| Austin Avenue Radiation Site Delaware County, Pennsylvania · EPA ID PAD987341716 | Cleaned up & deleted | 8.6 mi |
| Lansdowne Radiation Site Lansdowne, Pennsylvania · EPA ID PAD980830921 | Cleaned up & deleted | 8.9 mi |
EPA Superfund National Priorities List (NPL): the country’s most serious known hazardous-waste sites, each with an EPA cleanup record (linked). Distance is measured from the ZIP center to the site’s reference point; being near a site does not by itself mean exposure — EPA site pages describe what was found and how it is being cleaned up.
What this is — and isn’t. These are records your water utility and state reported to the EPA, and the EPA’s radon map for your county. They describe the system and the area, not the water from your own tap or the air in your home. For that, read your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report and test: lead and radon tests are inexpensive.
Questions about 19179
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 19179?
Philadelphia Water Department (EPA ID PA1510001), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 1,600,000 people.
Is there lead in Philadelphia, PA tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jun 2025) was 2 ppb; EPA’s action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb from 2027. Lead mostly comes from service lines and home plumbing, so the only way to know your tap is to test it.
Does Philadelphia, PA water have PFAS?
Highest PFOA or PFOS result in EPA’s 2023–2025 testing was at or above 4.0 ppt, EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant level for each. 8 PFAS compounds detected.
Has the water system in 19179 had violations?
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
Are there Superfund sites near 19179?
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code. Sites within 10 miles: Franklin Slag Pile (MDC) (2.2 mi, Active (final NPL)); Puchack Well Field (3.9 mi, Active (final NPL)); Swope Oil & Chemical Co. (4.5 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia is in EPA radon zone 3 (low potential). Predicted average under 2 pCi/L — but any home can have high radon, so EPA still recommends a test.