Community Water System · PWS PA3480046
City of Bethlehem
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18018 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 117,259 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.
- 117,259
- People served
- 270
- EPA violations
- 6
- Health-based
- No PFAS
- UCMR5 result
The verdict
EPA records 270 drinking-water violations at City of Bethlehem, 2% of them health-based - above the Pennsylvania per-system average.
- 270
- Total EPA violations on record
- 2%
- Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
- 117,259
- People served by this system
- 0
- PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)
Water Quality Snapshot: City of Bethlehem
City of Bethlehem is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 117,259 residents in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (Northampton County) through 36,709 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 270 total violations for this system , of which 6 (2%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 249 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 TTHM, recorded in 42 violations (MR). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.
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%).
City of Bethlehem's 270 violations sit above 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.
System Details
- System Type
- Community
- Owner Type
- Local
- Connections
- 36,709
- County
- Northampton
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 0
- Monitoring Violations
- 249
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 6
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTHM | MR | 42 | 2022 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 29 | 2022 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | MR | 15 | 2025 |
| Chlorine | MR | 14 | 2019 |
| Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | MR | 11 | 2005 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 8 | 2012 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | RPT | 6 | 2018 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 6 | 2019 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | TT | 6 | 1996 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 5 | 2013 |
| BHC-GAMMA | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Methoxychlor | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Toxaphene | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Dalapon | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Diquat | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Endothall | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Glyphosate | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Picloram | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Dinoseb | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Carbofuran | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Atrazine | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| LASSO | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Heptachlor | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Heptachlor epoxide | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| 2,4-D | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE | MR | 4 | 2020 |
| Chlordane | MR | 4 | 2020 |
PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)
Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 116 samples detected PFAS.
| Contaminant | Date | Result | MRL | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFHpS | 8/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 6:2 FTS | 8/9/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 4:2 FTS | 8/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 8:2 FTS | 8/9/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeA | 8/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFEESA | 8/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBA | 8/9/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeS | 8/9/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMPA | 8/9/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NMeFOSAA | 8/9/2024 | <6.00 ppt | 6.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NEtFOSAA | 8/9/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTrDA | 8/9/2024 | <7.00 ppt | 7.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTA | 8/9/2024 | <8.00 ppt | 8.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NFDHA | 8/9/2024 | <20.00 ppt | 20.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFNA | 8/9/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBS | 8/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMBA | 8/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxS | 8/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| HFPO-DA | 8/9/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOS | 8/9/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOA | 8/9/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDA | 8/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxA | 8/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFUnA | 8/9/2024 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 11Cl-PF3OUdS | 8/9/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 9Cl-PF3ONS | 8/9/2024 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| ADONA | 8/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDoA | 8/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpA | 8/9/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NEtFOSAA | 5/10/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTrDA | 5/10/2024 | <7.00 ppt | 7.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDoA | 5/10/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTA | 5/10/2024 | <8.00 ppt | 8.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| ADONA | 5/10/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NMeFOSAA | 5/10/2024 | <6.00 ppt | 6.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 9Cl-PF3ONS | 5/10/2024 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpS | 5/10/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBS | 5/10/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpA | 5/10/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxS | 5/10/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFNA | 5/10/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOS | 5/10/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOA | 5/10/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 11Cl-PF3OUdS | 5/10/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxA | 5/10/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeS | 5/10/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| HFPO-DA | 5/10/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBA | 5/10/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 6:2 FTS | 5/10/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 4:2 FTS | 5/10/2024 | <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 City of Bethlehem.
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 PA3480046 on SDWISSource: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search
Pennsylvania Drinking Water Authority
Pennsylvania DEP, Bureau of Safe Drinking Water is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects City of Bethlehem under EPA-delegated authority.
Open PA regulator portalViolation 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 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | MR | 15 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 0200 |
| 2022 | TTHM | MR | 42 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2950 |
| 2022 | Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 29 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2456 |
| 2020 | BHC-GAMMA | MR | 4 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2010 |
| 2020 | Methoxychlor | MR | 4 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2015 |
| 2020 | Toxaphene | MR | 4 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2020 |
| 2020 | Dalapon | MR | 4 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2031 |
| 2020 | Diquat | MR | 4 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2032 |
| 2020 | Endothall | MR | 4 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2033 |
| 2020 | Glyphosate | MR | 4 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2034 |
| 2020 | Picloram | MR | 4 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2040 |
| 2020 | Dinoseb | MR | 4 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2041 |
| 2020 | Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | MR | 4 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2042 |
| 2020 | Carbofuran | MR | 4 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2046 |
| 2020 | Atrazine | MR | 4 | SDWIS / PA3480046 / 2050 |
How City of Bethlehem Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | City of Bethlehem | Pennsylvania avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 270 | 150.6 | SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 6 | 8.9 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | None | 57.6% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 117,259 | 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 City of Bethlehem water safe to drink? ▼
How many people does City of Bethlehem serve? ▼
What type of violations does City of Bethlehem have? ▼
Has PFAS been detected in City of Bethlehem water? ▼
What water source does City of Bethlehem use? ▼
Where does this data come from? ▼
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
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.