Water Quality Report · Updated October 07, 2026
CITY OF LANCASTER
CITY OF LANCASTER delivers tap water graded F (53/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 120,000 residents in LANCASTER, Pennsylvania using surface water. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline. For questions, the utility can be reached at 717-291-4738.
Is LANCASTER tap water safe to drink?
CITY OF LANCASTER delivers tap water that earns a grade of F (53/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a poor rating, with significant contamination concerns and/or recent violations.
The utility serves 120,000 residents in LANCASTER, drawing from surface water.
Public testing data identifies 15 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Trichloroacetic acid, Bromodichloromethane, Chloroform, Dichloroacetic acid, Nitrate, Dibromochloromethane, Cadmium, Dibromoacetic acid, Chromium (hexavalent), Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). For most residents, a properly certified home filter at the kitchen tap is the most cost-effective way to reduce exposure to whatever's in your water. See our filter recommendations below, matched specifically to this utility's contaminant profile.
EPA compliance record
Official U.S. EPA records for CITY OF LANCASTER (system ID PA7360058) for the last 3 years. Checked 2026-10-07.
| Rule | Type | Since | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule | Contaminant above the legal limit | 04/01/2024 | Resolved |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Missed testing or reporting | 09/01/2024 | Resolved |
Source: U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO), from the Safe Drinking Water Information System. See EPA's full report.
Quick actions for LANCASTER residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for CITY OF LANCASTER.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 39.6 ppb, 661x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernPerfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) detected at 0.549 ppt, 549x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 36.5 ppb, 365x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Contact CITY OF LANCASTER
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Treatment Plant
Recommended water filters for LANCASTER
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Filter certified for PFOA/PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58)
$180-$750Reverse osmosis and some carbon block filters reduce PFAS. Look for certification to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 for PFOA/PFOS.
Carbon filter certified for VOCs (NSF/ANSI 53)
$180-$599Activated carbon is effective for disinfection byproducts. Look for NSF/ANSI 53 VOC reduction.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
Score breakdown
This utility's overall score of 53/100 breaks down across five weighted components. Read the full methodology →
Contaminants detected — international standards comparison
Every contaminant detected, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal (the strictest US benchmark). Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
8.83 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | EPA violation |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
39.6 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 661× over |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
0.549 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 549× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
36.5 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 365× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
49.7 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 332× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
19.0 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 190× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
10.6 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 176× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
37.1 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 93× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
17.3 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 86× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
4.13 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 30× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
2.07 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 21× over |
| Cadmium Heavy metal |
0.325 ppb | 0.04 | 5.0 | 5 | 3 | 0.04 | — | 8.1× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.185 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 6.2× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.11 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 5.5× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
1.45 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 4.8× over |
| Atrazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.1 ppb | 0.1 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 100 | 0.15 | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
202.6 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
11.5 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
36.8 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.00875 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.306 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
7.3 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
4.73 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
3.35 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
2.9 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
0.0813 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0946 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
2.73 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monobromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0246 ppb | 25.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.157 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (total) Heavy metal |
0.167 ppb | — | 100.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.645 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Nitrite Inorganic |
0.00867 ppm | — | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines (4th ed.), California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
CITY OF LANCASTER service area
This water system serves 1 community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for LANCASTER water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.