Is White Oak, PA tap water safe?
The short answer
2 of the 3 utilities serving White Oak have a result above a legal limit or action level, or a health-based violation since 2016, in EPA’s and Pennsylvania’s records: Mawc Yough Plant and Mawc Sweeney Plant.
West Cnty Muni Auth - McKeesport, which serves the most people here, has 2 results above the health goal. The worst: PFOA at 2.0 ppt, above the health goal. Health goals are stricter than legal limits and are not enforced.
A town can be served by more than one utility, and some homes are on private wells. The name on your water bill tells you which is yours, and your ZIP code narrows it down. They are listed by how many people each serves in White Oak’s ZIP codes, from EPA’s estimates.
- Open report
West Cnty Muni Auth - McKeesport
Pennsylvania · serves 32,644 people · about 6,400 in White Oak
2 results above the health goal. The worst: PFOA at 2.0 ppt, above the health goal.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Mawc Yough Plant
Pennsylvania · serves 133,000 people · about 980 in White Oak
1 result above the legal limit and 3 results above the health goal. The worst: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) at 54.7 ppb, above the legal limit.
2 health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Mawc Sweeney Plant
Pennsylvania · serves 143,000 people · about 340 in White Oak
4 results above the health goal. The worst: PFOA at 2.4 ppt, above the health goal.
2 health-based violations since 2016
What handles it
Each of these is certified, on a certifier’s listing, for a result above a line in West Cnty Muni Auth - McKeesport’s water, which serves the most people here. Another utility’s report names what handles its own results.
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ZeroWater 10 Cup Pitcher (ZP-010)
Pitcher
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53checked Oct. 4, 2026
Certified for: PFOA, PFOS
Aquasana Claryum Direct Connect (AQ-MF-1)
Under-sink carbon
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 16, 2026
Certified for: PFOA, PFOS
Express Water StreamLine Direct Connect System (USC001)
Under-sink carbon
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 16, 2026
Certified for: PFOA, PFOS
Water testing near White Oak
The 3 labs Pennsylvania certifies closest to White Oak, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.
RJ Lee Group, Inc.
Monroeville, PA · about 7 miles
Certified for nitrate, lead and copper, metals, minerals and other inorganics, PFAS, asbestos
Pace Analytical Services LLC - Greensburg PA
Greensburg, PA · about 12 miles
Certified for metals, radioactivity
Dream Pools and Spas Inc
Pittsburgh, PA · about 13 miles
Certified for bacteria
Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory: Drinking water test kits from many county Extension offices, mailed back to the lab overnight with payment. Packages cover bacteria and basic chemistry, with add-ons for nitrate, metals, lead, and mining or gas drilling concerns. The standard package of bacteria, pH and total dissolved solids is $60, or $70 with nitrate; bacteria alone is $40, nitrate $15 and lead $25. Drinking Water Testing, Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Lab.
All 108 certified labs for PennsylvaniaWhich ZIP codes are in White Oak: Census 2020 relationship files. Which utilities serve them, and how many people: EPA SDWIS and EPA’s service area map. Each utility’s results: EPA UCMR 5, EPA SDWIS, and EPA’s and the state’s compliance monitoring, as its report lists them. How they are measured: methodology. Certified labs: Pennsylvania DEP Laboratory Accreditation Program, accredited labs for drinking water; distances from the Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation area gazetteer.
Near White Oak
Other towns in Allegheny County with a page of their own.
What to do next
- Read West Cnty Muni Auth - McKeesport’s full reportEvery result with its dates, the violations, and the certification claim that handles each finding.Open the report
- Filters for PFOARanked by certification and what they cost over five years.The best water filters for PFAS, ranked
- On a private well?No utility tests a well. A certified lab test is the first step.How to test well water