Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0Living in Polk, PA: what to set up and who to call
The Polk Center water system reported 15 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: disinfection byproducts (TTHM) ×11, a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule) ×2, organic carbon removal (total organic carbon), a surface water treatment requirement (Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule). 78% of systems its size reported none. Power in Polk comes from Central Electric Coop, a cooperative utility rather than a private company.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Polk, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Polk.
Power comes from Central Electric Coop
Central Electric Coop (Central Electric Coop, Inc - (PA)), a cooperative utility, serves all of Polk. Its homes paid an average of 16.9¢ per kWh in 2025, about $134 a month (its average across Pennsylvania).
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Polk Center water system
The Polk Center water system supplies Polk: about 42% of residents live in its service area. About 58% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It draws surface water and serves 1,058 people in all.
15 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: disinfection byproducts (TTHM) ×11, a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule) ×2, organic carbon removal (total organic carbon), a surface water treatment requirement (Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule), the latest beginning Apr 2026. 78% of the 7,966 systems serving 1,001–3,300 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan–Dec 2010, was 140.0 ppb, above the 15 ppb action level that applied. It’s from 2010: EPA has no newer result for this system.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. PA6610010.
4 home internet providers serve Polk
94% of 217 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 0% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | Cable | 94% | 1,000/35 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 56% | 300/20 |
| AT&T | Fixed wireless | 48% | 25/3 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 42% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Polk’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Polk.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Polk is in Franklin Area School District.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Polk is in ZIP code 16342
ZIP codes where Polk residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Polk | ZIP’s residents in Polk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16342 | Polk, PA | 99% | 30% |
A few homes fall in 16323.
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Polk
Who supplies Polk’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The Polk Center water system (EPA ID PA6610010). It reported 15 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: disinfection byproducts (TTHM) ×11, a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule) ×2, organic carbon removal (total organic carbon), a surface water treatment requirement (Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule). 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 140.0 ppb (Jan–Dec 2010), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Polk?
Central Electric Coop (Central Electric Coop, Inc - (PA)), a cooperative utility. Its homes paid about 16.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Polk?
Spectrum, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Polk?
16342. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Polk in?
Franklin Area School District.
How do I register to vote in Polk?
In Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before). Elections here are run by the Venango County Board of Elections. Check your registration at pavoterservices.pa.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.