Is Pennsylvania Tap Water Safe to Drink?
Water quality data for 31 cities across Pennsylvania. Find your city below.
Water quality in Pennsylvania varies significantly from city to city. Across 31 cities we track, hardness ranges from 26 PPM in Reading to 170 PPM in Hanover, with a statewide average of 97 PPM. 12 of 31 cities have hard water above 120 PPM where a water softener provides measurable benefits.
14 Pennsylvania cities have forever chemicals (PFAS) above the EPA's 2024 limit of 4 parts per trillion: Camp Hill (15.74 ppt), Coraopolis (49.62 ppt), Lancaster (67.17 ppt), Paoli (53.99 ppt), Philadelphia (45.03 ppt), and 9 more. A reverse osmosis system or NSF P473-certified filter can reduce PFAS to safe levels.
Complete Pennsylvania Guide
Statewide water quality overview, costs, and treatment recommendations.
Well Water in Pennsylvania
Testing, treatment, and common issues for private wells.
Hardest Water Rankings
Pennsylvania cities ranked by water hardness level.
City Treatment Guides
Sized recommendations based on each city's specific water data.
Pittsburgh
🧂 Best SoftenerPaoli
🧂 Best Softener 🔬 Best FilterPhiladelphia
🔬 Best FilterUpper Darby
🔬 Best FilterAbington
🔬 Best FilterCity Comparisons
Hanover vs Reading
Side-by-side water quality comparison.
Hanover vs Camp Hill
Side-by-side water quality comparison.
Camp Hill vs State College
Side-by-side water quality comparison.
Pennsylvania Cities by Water Hardness
| City | Hardness (PPM) | Level | PFAS (ppt) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanover | 170 | Hard | 4 | Groundwater |
| Camp Hill | 160 | Hard | 15.74 | Yellow Breeches Creek |
| State College | 150 | Hard | 0 | Local wells in limestone aquifer |
| Pottstown | 150 | Hard | 24.48 | Schuylkill River |
| Pittsburgh | 140 | Hard | 0 | Allegheny River |
| Coraopolis | 140 | Hard | 49.62 | Ohio River |
| Erie | 130 | Hard | 0 | Lake Erie |
| Lancaster | 130 | Hard | 67.17 | Susquehanna River & wells |
| Greensburg | 130 | Hard | 0 | Surface water |
| Bethlehem Township | 125 | Hard | 0 | Lehigh River |
| Paoli | 120 | Hard | 53.99 | Local wells + surface |
| Easton | 120 | Hard | 0 | Delaware River |
| York | 115 | Moderately Hard | 0 | Lake Williams & Lake Redman |
| Butler | 110 | Moderately Hard | 0 | Connoquenessing Creek |
| Philadelphia | 100 | Moderately Hard | 45.03 | Delaware + Schuylkill Rivers |
| West Chester | 100 | Moderately Hard | 23.46 | Chester Creek watershed |
| Doylestown | 100 | Moderately Hard | 61.23 | North Branch Neshaminy Creek |
| Wayne | 90 | Moderately Hard | 0 | Crum Creek watershed |
| Pittsburgh North | 90 | Moderately Hard | 0 | Allegheny River |
| Kennett Square | 80 | Moderately Hard | 77.67 | Red Clay Creek |
| Bethlehem | 62 | Moderately Hard | 0 | Wild Creek, Pocono Mountain reservoirs |
| Harrisburg | 60 | Moderately Hard | 12.33 | DeHart Dam & Susquehanna River |
| Stroudsburg | 60 | Moderately Hard | 0 | Brodhead Creek |
| Allentown | 57 | Slightly Hard | 15.62 | Little Lehigh Creek, Lehigh River |
| Upper Darby | 55 | Slightly Hard | 53.99 | Darby Creek & Philadelphia system |
| Abington | 52 | Slightly Hard | 53.99 | Delaware River via Philadelphia |
| Bensalem | 50 | Slightly Hard | 49.28 | Delaware River via Bucks County |
| Wilkes-Barre South | 50 | Slightly Hard | 0 | Susquehanna River |
| Wilkes-Barre | 48 | Slightly Hard | 0 | Huntsville Reservoir |
| Scranton | 40 | Slightly Hard | 22.98 | Lake Scranton, Elmhurst Reservoir |
| Reading | 26 | Slightly Hard | 22.79 | Maiden Creek Reservoir |