Public water system record
City of Lancaster
Serves an area of Lancaster County, PA that includes Lancaster, Willow Street, Millersville and 2 more places · 120,000 people served
Federal records show 2 health-based violations and 2 monitoring/reporting issues for City of Lancaster in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a resolved Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) violation.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 2
- Resolved
- 2
- Unresolved
- 0
- Any acute record
- No
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 2
Key facts
- City of Lancaster draws water from 2 surface water intakes.
- Highest measured level in the last 10 years: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), 0.083 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (at or just above the limit), 2024.
- Record on file since 1983, with 10 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 474 lead and 42,841 unknown out of 49,714 service lines.
Check whether City of Lancaster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.083 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (at or just above the limit)
|
220 | Apr 1, 2024 | Resolved | No |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
220 | Oct 1, 2016 | Resolved | No |
Monitoring and reporting issues
Since October 2016Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.
| Issue | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
May 1, 2025 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Monitoring and reporting
|
Sep 1, 2024 | Resolved |
Full record since 1983
EPA's records for City of Lancaster go back to 1983. Before October 19, 2016 they list 10 health-based violations (7 resolved, 3 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 61 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1 | 11 |
| 1990s | 8 | 4 |
| 2000s | 0 | 1 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 1 | 45 |
| 2020s | 1 | 2 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), began October 2016, Resolved.
Show all 10 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 2016 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jan 1, 1996 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jan 1, 1995 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jun 1, 1992 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
May 1, 1992 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Apr 1, 1992 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
May 1, 1991 | Archived |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jan 1, 1991 | Archived |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Dec 1, 1990 | Archived |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jan 1, 1986 | Resolved |
What the violations mean
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
1 incidentDisinfection byproduct levels exceeded the federal limit
Long-term TTHM exposure may increase bladder cancer risk
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
1 incidentHaloacetic acid byproducts exceeded the federal limit
Long-term exposure to HAAs may increase cancer risk
Where the water comes from
City of Lancaster draws water from 2 surface water intakes. 6 other community water systems and 5 smaller public systems such as schools, businesses or campgrounds buy water from City of Lancaster.
Community systems that buy water from it
- East Hempfield Water Auth Landisville, PA
- East Petersburg Borough East Petersburg, PA
- Landis Homes Lititz, PA
- Northwestern Lancaster Co Auth Manheim, PA
- Upper Leacock Township Leola, PA
- West Earl Water Authority Brownstown, PA
Annual water quality report
City of Lancaster 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