Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sits in the Northeast and draws its water primarily from Susquehanna River, Delaware River, and Allegheny. With roughly 13 million residents, the state has minimal formal water reuse to date, reusing an estimated 3% of its treated wastewater.
Pennsylvaniawater quality & safety
Top violation drivers in Pennsylvania
| Contaminant / rule | Systems |
|---|---|
| Groundwater Rule | 437 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | 163 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | 63 |
| TTHM | 57 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 53 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | 52 |
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1 · health-based violations since 2016
Old industrial-era systems and PFAS near former military sites dominate the agenda.
On the U.S. Drought Monitor scale, Pennsylvania currently tracks around moderate to severe conditions. Pennsylvania has 1,782 community water systems serving about 11 million people; EPA records show 724 of them (40.6%) with a health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016. The pages below break down the water issues that matter most here and the communities working on solutions.
Drought history — severe+ extent
% of Pennsylvania in severe drought or worse (D2+) each late summer.
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC/UNL, USDA, NOAA) · latest 2026-06-09
Water use (USGS 2015)
- Per-capita (public supply)
- 149 gpcd
- Total withdrawals
- 6.0 Bgal/d
- From groundwater
- 10.3%
- Irrigation share
- 0.6%
- Wastewater reused (est.)
- ~3%
Primary water sources
- ≈ Susquehanna River
- ≈ Delaware River
- ≈ Allegheny
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has 1,782 community water systems serving about 11 million people. EPA records show 724 of them (40.6%) with at least one health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016, and 390 system(s) over the federal lead action level. Most large systems meet standards; check your specific city and your utility's annual report.
What contaminants are most common in Pennsylvania's water?
The most frequent health-based violations involve Groundwater Rule, Revised Total Coliform Rule, Surface Water Treatment Rule.
How much water does Pennsylvania use per person?
Public water systems in Pennsylvania withdraw about 149 gallons per person per day (USGS 2015), drawing 10.3% of fresh water from groundwater.
How bad is the drought in Pennsylvania?
As of 2026-06-09, 20.4% of Pennsylvania is in drought (D1+) and 11.2% is in severe drought or worse, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Cities in Pennsylvania
10 trackedPhiladelphia
Philadelphia, PA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Allentown
Allentown, PA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Erie
Erie, PA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Reading
Reading, PA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Scranton
Scranton, PA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Bethlehem
Bethlehem, PA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Lancaster
Lancaster, PA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Center City
Center City, PA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Levittown
Levittown, PA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Key issues in Pennsylvania
Aging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
ExplorePFAS Contamination
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances persist in water supplies for decades. New federal limits are forcing utilities nationwide to invest in advanced treatment.
Explore