Bethlehem, PA Water Quality Report
Is Bethlehem tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is Bethlehem, PA tap water safe to drink? Bethlehem, PA tap water meets most federal EPA limits, but PFAS compounds have been detected at an average of 0.01 ppt across 1 compound. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended for sensitive populations.
What contaminants are in Bethlehem, PA water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Bethlehem water: PFBA (0.01 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in Bethlehem, PA? An NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system is the strongest option, removing 90%+ of PFAS along with lead and arsenic. For renters or smaller households in Bethlehem, an NSF-53 certified pitcher (Clearly Filtered, ZeroWater, LifeStraw) is a practical alternative. Ordinary Brita cartridges are not certified for PFAS.
Bethlehem, PA Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Bethlehem, PA drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 0.01 ppt across 1 water system, representing an average of 0.01 ppt across 1 detected compound.
Contamination Level: LOW – Low contamination – PFAS detected but at lower levels; monitoring continues.
Top Detected Compounds
- PFBA: 0.01 ppt
Lead in Bethlehem, PA Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 20 lead samples for Bethlehem water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.007 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.
EPA Violations in Bethlehem, PA
Bethlehem public water systems have 6 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Chromium, Lead. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.
About the Data
The numbers on this page are drawn from EPA UCMR5 monitoring (2023-2025), which covers 66,000+ public water systems nationwide, including those serving Bethlehem, PA's approximately 75,781 residents.
ZIP Codes Served
What Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
- If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
- Review the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your Pennsylvania utility publishes annually