Asbestos in Drinking Water Hits Five Times the Federal Limit in Brockway, Pennsylvania

Asbestos contamination in the drinking water of Brockway Borough, a small community in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, has tripled to 33 million fibers per liter, according to a report from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The level is nearly five times the federal maximum contaminant limit of 7 million fibers per liter.

The contamination originates from asbestos-cement water pipes installed as early as the 1950s. As the pipes deteriorate with age, they release asbestos fibers directly into the water supply.

How It Was Discovered

A local business owner’s independent water test in 2024 first flagged the contamination. Initial testing confirmed levels of 11 million fibers per liter, already above the federal limit. By November 2024, DEP testing showed the concentration had tripled to 33 million fibers per liter.

The Brockway Municipal Authority notified residents in July 2024 after the initial results. The subsequent tripling of contamination levels prompted renewed concern about the pace of infrastructure replacement.

The Health Risk

The federal limit for asbestos in drinking water exists because long-term ingestion is associated with increased risk of several cancers, including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and gastrointestinal cancers. Asbestos fibers in water can also become airborne during everyday household activities like showering, dishwashing, and laundry, creating an inhalation pathway in addition to ingestion.

Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years between exposure and diagnosis. Residents who have consumed Brockway tap water for extended periods may not develop symptoms for decades. While state and federal agencies have stated there is no “immediate health emergency,” that language reflects the slow progression of asbestos-related disease rather than an absence of risk.

A $50 Million Problem

Replacing the borough’s aging water infrastructure is estimated to cost $50 million. The Brockway Municipal Authority has replaced approximately 1.5 miles of water lines over the past three years, but the full system requires far more extensive work.

Jefferson County held a public hearing in early 2025 to pursue more than $650,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding for partial upgrades, including the High Street water storage tank, water mains, fittings, valves, and hydrants. The grant covers only a fraction of the total need.

The Brockway Area School District acted more quickly, installing more than 80 water filters across its facilities by July 2024 to minimize student exposure.

A Nationwide Problem

Brockway is not unique. Asbestos-cement pipes were widely used in water systems across the United States from the 1930s through the 1970s. Many of these pipes remain in service, well past their intended lifespan, in communities that lack the funding to replace them.

The EPA has regulated asbestos in drinking water since the Safe Drinking Water Act, setting the maximum contaminant level at 7 million fibers per liter. But enforcement depends on testing, and many small water systems test infrequently. Brockway’s contamination was discovered through a private citizen’s initiative, not routine regulatory monitoring.

For communities with aging infrastructure, the Brockway case illustrates the gap between identifying contamination and fixing it. Residents bear the health risk while infrastructure replacement stretches over years and depends on grants that cover only partial costs.