Mckean County, Pennsylvania: drinking water report. McKean County in north-central Pennsylvania has about 41,000 residents, with Bradford as the largest…
McKean County in north-central Pennsylvania has about 41,000 residents, with Bradford as the largest community. The county sits atop one of the earliest oil-producing regions in the world – the Bradford Oil Field has been in production since 1871. Water comes from surface reservoirs and groundwater, and over 150 years of oil extraction have left an indelible mark on local water quality.
Legacy oil and gas activity permeates McKean County. According to Pennsylvania DEP's 2024 oil and gas database, the county contains over 14,000 historic oil and gas wells, many drilled before modern environmental regulations existed. Orphaned wells – abandoned without proper plugging – can provide pathways for methane, brine, and petroleum products to contaminate shallow aquifers.
A 2024 DEP assessment found that 6% of tested private wells in McKean County showed methane above the 7 mg/L action level. Brine contamination from historic produced water disposal has elevated chloride and total dissolved solids in some groundwater zones. PFAS from the Bradford Regional Airport has been detected at 5 ppt in monitoring wells.
McKean County's 150-year oil legacy means unplugged wells beneath your property are a real possibility. If you are on a private well and notice bubbling, unusual taste, or oily sheen in your water, testing for methane and petroleum compounds is essential.
Check your water for available data. For brine contamination and petroleum compounds, reverse osmosis addresses dissolved contaminants, though methane requires venting before treatment. Our water filter guide covers systems suited to oil country water. Get your detailed report for trends, and visit our Pennsylvania page for statewide data.