Scranton
Scranton, PA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
paw ceasetown
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · private · PWSID PA2409002
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Scranton is a small but growing city and the 6th-largest in Pennsylvania, home to roughly 77,118 residents. Scranton's drinking water comes largely from the same regional sources that serve Pennsylvania: Susquehanna River, Delaware River, and Allegheny.
As elsewhere in Pennsylvania, the central challenge is aging infrastructure. Old industrial-era systems and PFAS near former military sites dominate the agenda.
Pennsylvania reuses an estimated 3% of its treated wastewater and maintains minimal reuse programs; Scranton tracks moderate to severe drought conditions on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale.
Explore the Pennsylvania profile for statewide context, or dig into the water issues shaping Scranton below.
Luzerne County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~77,118 (6th-largest in Pennsylvania)
- Primary sources: Susquehanna River, Delaware River, and Allegheny
- Drought: moderate to severe conditions
- State reuse rate: ~3% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Pennsylvania in severe+ drought (Severe (D2) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Scranton?
Scranton's largest water system, PAW CEASETOWN, serves about 58,467 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Scranton get its water?
PAW CEASETOWN draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Pennsylvania's supply from Susquehanna River, Delaware River, Allegheny.
Related water issues
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