Public water system record
Reading Area Water Authority
Serves Reading, Greenfields and Kenhorst, Berks County, PA · 95,100 people served
Federal records show 3 health-based violations and 4 monitoring/reporting issues for Reading Area Water Authority in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a resolved Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule violation.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 3
- Resolved
- 3
- Unresolved
- 0
- Any acute record
- Yes
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 4
Key facts
- Reading Area Water Authority draws water from 2 surface water intakes.
- Most recent formal enforcement: consent decree or court judgment by Pennsylvania, December 2005.
- Record on file since 1984, with 8 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 2 lead and 20,112 unknown out of 34,305 service lines.
Check whether Reading Area Water Authority serves your address
Health-based violations
Since October 2016Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.
| Contaminant | Rule family | Start date | Status | Acute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
120 | Apr 1, 2025 | Resolved | No |
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
110 | Oct 1, 2018 | Resolved | Yes |
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
110 | Sep 1, 2018 | Resolved | Yes |
Monitoring and reporting issues
Since October 2016Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.
| Issue | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Thallium, Total
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2018 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2018 | Resolved |
Full record since 1984
EPA's records for Reading Area Water Authority go back to 1984. Before October 19, 2016 they list 8 health-based violations (3 resolved, 5 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 43 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4 | 0 |
| 1990s | 1 | 39 |
| 2000s | 2 | 2 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 1 | 2 |
| October 19, 2016 to 2019 | 2 | 2 |
| 2020s | 1 | 2 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Revised Total Coliform Rule (acute), began August 2016, Resolved.
Show all 8 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Aug 1, 2016 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jul 1, 2006 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Aug 1, 2003 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Dec 1, 1990 | Archived |
|
Endrin
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 13, 1984 | Archived |
|
BHC-GAMMA
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 13, 1984 | Archived |
|
Toxaphene
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 13, 1984 | Archived |
|
2,4,5-TP
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 13, 1984 | Archived |
Enforcement actions
Pennsylvania regulators took 1 formal enforcement action against Reading Area Water Authority in 2005. The most recent was a consent decree or court judgment in December 2005.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 29, 2005 | Pennsylvania | Consent decree or court judgment | 1 violation: Total Coliform |
What the violations mean
Revised Total Coliform Rule
2 incidentsThe system did not meet a requirement of the Revised Total Coliform Rule
Coliform and E. coli rules protect against bacteria in the distribution system
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
1 incidentThe system failed required surface water treatment or filtration standards
Untreated or inadequately treated surface water can contain bacteria and viruses
Where the water comes from
Reading Area Water Authority draws water from 2 surface water intakes. 3 other community water systems and 4 smaller public systems such as schools, businesses or campgrounds buy water from Reading Area Water Authority.
Community systems that buy water from it
- Bern Twp Muni Auth Reading, PA
- Ontelaunee Township Reading, PA
- Paw Glen Alsace Div Mechanicsburg, PA
Annual water quality report
Reading Area Water Authority must give its customers an annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) by July 1, with the levels its tests found in the previous year.
Systems serving 10,000 or more people must mail or deliver the report to every customer, and from 2027 they must send it twice a year.
Find a posted report with EPA's Consumer Confidence Report search
Testing your own water
To test the water at your tap, or a private well this record does not cover, use a laboratory certified for drinking water by Pennsylvania.
Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells