Bethlehem, PA Tap Water Quality 2026

Water quality report for Bethlehem, PA — PFAS, lead and copper results, violation history and state inspection findings from EPA SDWIS.

A look at Bethlehem's drinking water using EPA enforcement records: violations, lead and copper results, PFAS sampling and state inspection findings.

Main Utility: City Of Bethlehem PWSID: PA3480046 Updated: 2026 Q2
✅

No federal limits exceeded on record

Lead was not detected and no violations are open. No PFAS was detected.

A

Bethlehem earns an A for water quality

Graded on violations, lead, and PFAS, with state inspection findings.

Lead: not detected
PFAS tested, none detected
47 violations since 2015, 0 health-based
No violations currently open
Bethlehem's lead level vs. all Pennsylvania community water systems
0 ppb5 ppb10 ppb15 ppb
Lead level: Not detected — 0% of the federal action level
✓ Lower lead than % of Pennsylvania utilities
Population Served
75630
~36709 connections
Water Source
Surface water
Drawn from surface water — SDWIS source code SW
Active Violations
0
47 since 2015, all resolved

Lead & Copper Testing

Lead (Pb)
90th percentile of tap samples collected across the distribution system
0% of EPA action level
Not detected
Action level: 15 ppb
Lead was not detected at the 90th percentile — the result fell below the laboratory detection limit. That is not the same as an absence of lead in every tap, and older homes with lead service lines can still show higher readings.

Contaminant Violations (2015–Present)

ContaminantTypeMeasuredLimitPeriodStatus
Surface Water Treatment Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2025 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.060 mg/L 2022 Resolved
TTHM MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.080 mg/L 2022 Resolved
Endrin MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2020 Resolved
BHC-GAMMA MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Methoxychlor MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.04 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Toxaphene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.003 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Dalapon MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.2 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Diquat MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.02 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Endothall MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.1 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Glyphosate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.7 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.4 mg/L 2020 Resolved
OXAMYL MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.2 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Simazine MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.004 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.006 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Picloram MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.5 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Dinoseb MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.007 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.05 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Carbofuran MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.04 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Atrazine MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.003 mg/L 2020 Resolved
LASSO MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2020 Resolved
2,3,7,8-TCDD MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.00000003 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Heptachlor MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0004 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Heptachlor epoxide MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2020 Resolved
2,4-D MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.07 mg/L 2020 Resolved
2,4,5-TP MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.05 mg/L 2020 Resolved
HEXACHLOROBENZENE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.001 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Benzo(a)pyrene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Pentachlorophenol MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.001 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0005 mg/L 2020 Resolved
1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.0002 mg/L 2020 Resolved
ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.00005 mg/L 2020 Resolved
Chlordane MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2020 Resolved
TTHM MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.080 mg/L 2019 Resolved
Revised Total Coliform Rule MONITORING FAILURE — — 2019 Resolved
Surface Water Treatment Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2019 Resolved
Chlorine MONITORING AND REPORTING — 4.0 mg/L 2019 Resolved
Revised Total Coliform Rule REPORTING FAILURE — — 2018 Resolved
Surface Water Treatment Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2018 Resolved
Chlorine MONITORING AND REPORTING — 4.0 mg/L 2018 Resolved
Lead and Copper Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — TT 2017 Resolved
TTHM MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.080 mg/L 2017 Resolved
Revised Total Coliform Rule REPORTING FAILURE — — 2016 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.060 mg/L 2016 Resolved
CYANIDE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.2 mg/L 2016 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.060 mg/L 2015 Resolved
TTHM MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.080 mg/L 2015 Resolved
Understanding violation types MCL violations mean a contaminant exceeded the federal maximum limit — the most serious type.
TT (Treatment Technique) violations mean required treatment procedures weren't followed, but don't necessarily mean contamination occurred.

Violation History

47 violations are on record since 2015, of which 0 were health-based. All have been resolved and none remain open.

About the Main Water System

Utility City Of Bethlehem
PWSID PA3480046
Water source Surface water — Drawn from surface water — SDWIS source code SW
Population served 75,630
Service connections 36,709
Systems serving this area 4
Regulator State primacy agency
Data through 2026 Q2 — EPA SDWIS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bethlehem tap water safe to drink? ▼
No federal limit is exceeded on record. No violations are currently open.
Does Bethlehem water have PFAS? ▼
It was tested for the six regulated PFAS compounds and none were detected.
Who supplies water to Bethlehem? ▼
City Of Bethlehem (PWSID PA3480046), one of 4 systems serving this area. Surface water. Drawn from surface water — SDWIS source code SW
When was this system last inspected? ▼
It was last inspected on 2024-05-16. No significant deficiencies were recorded.

What Should Bethlehem Residents Do?

1
Read your annual water report
Your supplier publishes a Consumer Confidence Report each July covering the prior year.
2
Check for a lead service line
Lead reaches tap water mainly through service lines and household plumbing. Suppliers now publish an inventory identifying lead lines.
3
Flush before drinking
If water has sat in pipes more than six hours, run the cold tap for two minutes before drinking or cooking.

Nearby Cities in Pennsylvania

Easton, Pa Tap Water Quality 2026 Northampton Palmer, Pa Tap Water Quality 2026 Northampton Forks, Pa Tap Water Quality 2026 Northampton Bethlehem, Pa Tap Water Quality 2026 Northampton Northampton, Pa Tap Water Quality 2026 Northampton Hanover, Pa Tap Water Quality 2026 Northampton