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Community Water System · PWS PA1090022

Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept

Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania 19030 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 24,400 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

24,400
People served
144
EPA violations
41
Health-based
2 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 144 drinking-water violations at Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept, 28% of them health-based - below the Pennsylvania per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 2 PFAS compounds.

144
Total EPA violations on record
28%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
24,400
People served by this system
2
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept

Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 24,400 residents in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania (Bucks County) through 8,511 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 144 total violations for this system , of which 41 (28%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 82 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2025.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Coliform (TCR), recorded in 25 violations (MCL, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 2 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 3.2 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Pennsylvania, EPA tracks 7,701 public water systems serving 12,630,061 people, with 1,159,868 cumulative violations and 68,517 health-based violations on record. About 97% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 150.6 violations. Statewide, 224 of 389 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (57.6%).

Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept's 144 violations sit below the Pennsylvania average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

PFAS Detected

2 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Population Served
24,400
Total Violations
144
Health-Based Violations
41
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
8,511
County
Bucks
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
40
Monitoring Violations
82
Treatment Tech Violations
1

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Coliform (TCR) MCL 25 2014
Chlorine MR 22 2020
Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 19 2020
TTHM MCL 11 2011
Coliform (TCR) MR 9 2009
TTHM MR 8 2013
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 8 2013
Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 8 2020
Lead and Copper Rule MR 6 2025
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL 4 2016
Public Notice Other 4 2016
Revised Total Coliform Rule RPT 4 2020
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 3 2023
Revised Total Coliform Rule Other 2 2016
Asbestos MR 2 2022
Lead and Copper Rule TT 1 1994

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 3 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFDoA 8/31/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/31/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 8/31/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 8/31/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/31/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/31/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/31/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/31/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/31/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/31/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/31/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 8/31/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/31/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/31/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/31/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 8/31/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/31/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 8/31/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/31/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/31/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 8/31/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/31/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 8/31/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/31/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/31/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/31/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/31/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/31/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/31/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 8/22/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/22/2024 3.10 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFDA 8/22/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/22/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/22/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 8/22/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/22/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/22/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/22/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/22/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/22/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/22/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/22/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/22/2024 3.20 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFHpS 8/22/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 8/22/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/22/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/22/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/22/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/22/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/22/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID PA1090022 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Pennsylvania Drinking Water Authority

Pennsylvania DEP, Bureau of Safe Drinking Water is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept under EPA-delegated authority.

Open PA regulator portal

Source: Pennsylvania DEP, Bureau of Safe Drinking Water

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2025 Lead and Copper Rule MR 6 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 5000
2023 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 3 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 7000
2022 Asbestos MR 2 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 1094
2020 Chlorine MR 22 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 0999
2020 Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 19 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 0200
2020 Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 8 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 8000
2020 Revised Total Coliform Rule RPT 4 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 8000
2016 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL 4 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 2456
2016 Public Notice Other 4 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 7500
2016 Revised Total Coliform Rule Other 2 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 8000
2014 Coliform (TCR) MCL 25 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 3100
2013 TTHM MR 8 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 2950
2013 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 8 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 2456
2011 TTHM MCL 11 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 2950
2009 Coliform (TCR) MR 9 SDWIS / PA1090022 / 3100

How Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept Pennsylvania avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 144 150.6 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 41 8.9 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 2 compounds 57.6% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 24,400 1,640 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 7,701 regulated public water systems in Pennsylvania.

Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept water safe to drink?
Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept (PWS ID: PA1090022) has 144 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 2 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 24,400 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept serve?
Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept serves 24,400 people in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 8,511 service connections.
What type of violations does Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept have?
Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept has 144 total violations: 41 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 82 monitoring/reporting violations, and 1 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept water?
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 2 PFAS compounds in Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept's water supply: PFHxA, PFPeA. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept use?
Falls Twp Water & Sewer Dept uses Surface Water as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.
Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.