Is Bethlehem, PA Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Bethlehem's water

The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.

Contaminant	Level vs EPA limit	Suppliers	Source
Nitrate	8792.5 µg/L 88% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: KELLOWS MOBILE HOME PARK · 30 people · 2019	1/7	SYR4
Fluoride	785 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF BETHLEHEM · 117,259 people · 2019	1/7	SYR4
Copper	121 µg/L 9.3% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF BETHLEHEM · 117,259 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 572.7 µg/L — BETH SHADY LANE SYSTEM · 61 people · 2019	7/7	SYR4
TTHM	58.09 µg/L 73% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF BETHLEHEM · 117,259 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 65.8 µg/L — LOWER SAUCON AUTHORITY · 5,700 people · 2019	7/7	SYR4
Chloroform	50.97 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF BETHLEHEM · 117,259 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 59 µg/L — LOWER SAUCON AUTHORITY · 5,700 people · 2019	7/7	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	47.55 µg/L 79% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF BETHLEHEM · 117,259 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 48.9 µg/L — LOWER SAUCON AUTHORITY · 5,700 people · 2019	5/7	SYR4
Lead	43.2 µg/L 288% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF BETHLEHEM · 117,259 people · 2019	7/7	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	18.35 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF BETHLEHEM · 117,259 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 23 µg/L — LOWER SAUCON AUTHORITY · 5,700 people · 2019	2/7	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	21 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF BETHLEHEM · 117,259 people · 2019	5/7	SYR4
Nitrite	12 µg/L 1.2% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: KELLOWS MOBILE HOME PARK · 30 people · 2019	1/7	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	9 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF BETHLEHEM · 117,259 people · 2019	2/7	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	6.47 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF BETHLEHEM · 117,259 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 7.2 µg/L — LOWER SAUCON AUTHORITY · 5,700 people · 2019	7/7	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	0.9000 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF BETHLEHEM · 117,259 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 5.175 µg/L — BETH 512 SYSTEM · 725 people · 2019	6/7	SYR4
Bromoform	4.44 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: BETH 512 SYSTEM · 725 people · 2019	2/7	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	2 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: BETH 512 SYSTEM · 725 people · 2019	1/7	SYR4
Lead	0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: CITY OF BETHLEHEM · 117,259 people · 2025 Highest in the city: 0.0190 mg/L — BETH 512 SYSTEM · 725 people · 1996	7/7	LCR

Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Formal violations are listed separately. These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide average. A detection means the lab measured the substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.

Water suppliers serving Bethlehem

Supplier	Population served
CITY OF BETHLEHEM	117,259
LOWER SAUCON AUTHORITY	5,700
BETH 512 SYSTEM	725
BETH WIL MAR MANOR	90
BETH COUNTRY SQUIRE ESTATES	87
BETH SHADY LANE SYSTEM	61
KELLOWS MOBILE HOME PARK	30

Frequently asked questions about Bethlehem tap water

Is Bethlehem tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 16 contaminants in the water serving Bethlehem. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.

How many water suppliers serve Bethlehem?

7 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Bethlehem's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Bethlehem include Nitrate, Fluoride, Copper, TTHM, Chloroform. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.

Where does this data come from?

Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.