What was found in Bryn Mawr's water
The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 6600 µg/L 66% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L | 20/25 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 3000 µg/L 231% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 1300 µg/L | 23/25 | SYR4 |
| Chlorite | 930 µg/L 93% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L | 2/25 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 800 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L | 12/25 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 786 µg/L 39% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L | 22/25 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 208 µg/L 1387% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L | 20/25 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 137.7 µg/L 172% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L | 23/25 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 130.2 µg/L 217% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L | 23/25 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 83.1 µg/L No EPA limit set | 23/25 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 64.6 µg/L No EPA limit set | 21/25 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 61.2 µg/L No EPA limit set | 18/25 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 45.4 µg/L No EPA limit set | 4/25 | UCMR-5 |
| Toluene | 31 µg/L 3.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L | 4/25 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 29 µg/L No EPA limit set | 23/25 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 25.6 µg/L No EPA limit set | 23/25 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 20 µg/L 2% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L | 5/25 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 19.8 µg/L No EPA limit set | 20/25 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 12.9779 µg/L 43% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L | 11/25 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 12 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L | 21/25 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 10 µg/L No EPA limit set | 20/25 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 9.72 µg/L 97% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L | 11/25 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 9.1 µg/L No EPA limit set | 10/25 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 5.7 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L | 8/25 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 4.4 µg/L 88% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 3/25 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 2.5 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L | 17/25 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 2.3 µg/L 46% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 2/25 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 2.2 µg/L No EPA limit set | 8/25 | SYR4 |
| 2,4-D | 1.5 µg/L 2.1% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L | 1/25 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 1.49 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L | 1/25 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 1.1 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L | 3/25 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 1 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L | 2/25 | SYR4 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 1 µg/L 1.4% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L | 1/25 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 0.8000 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 7 µg/L | 2/25 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Adipate | 0.6100 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 400 µg/L | 1/25 | SYR4 |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | 0.5000 µg/L 0.3% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L | 1/25 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.2800 µg/L 9.3% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L | 1/25 | SYR4 |
| Chlorobenzene | 0.2700 µg/L 0.3% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L | 3/25 | SYR4 |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | 0.2200 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L | 1/25 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0520 mg/L 347% above the EPA limit of 0.0150 mg/L | 20/25 | LCR |
| Pfpea | 0.0218 µg/L No EPA limit set | 12/25 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOS | 0.0215 µg/L No EPA limit set | 10/25 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0180 µg/L No EPA limit set | 11/25 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0162 µg/L No EPA limit set | 12/25 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0133 µg/L No EPA limit set | 11/25 | UCMR-5 |
| PFNA | 0.0120 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/25 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfba | 0.0101 µg/L No EPA limit set | 10/25 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0077 µg/L No EPA limit set | 6/25 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0069 µg/L No EPA limit set | 7/25 | UCMR-5 |
| 2,3,7,8-TCDD | 0.0000050 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 0.000030 µg/L | 1/25 | SYR4 |
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 single worst sample on
record — 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 Bryn Mawr
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| AQUA PA MAIN SYSTEM | 822,600 |
| AQUA PA BENSALEM | 59,001 |
| AQUA PA WEST CHESTER | 48,600 |
| AQUA PA UWCHLAN | 35,518 |
| AQUA PA BRISTOL | 28,727 |
| AQUA PA HATBORO | 12,901 |
| AQUA PA SUPERIOR MAIN SYSTEM | 11,400 |
| AQUA PA FRIENDSHIP | 8,800 |
| AQUA PA SPRING RUN | 8,151 |
| AQUA PA CHALFONT | 5,900 |
| AQUA PA FLYING HILLS WA SYS | 5,100 |
| AQUA PA PERKIOMEN TOWNSHIP | 3,600 |
| AQUA PA HONEYBROOK | 1,600 |
| AQUA PA PERKIOMEN WOODS | 1,100 |
| AQUA PA UPPER PROVIDENCE | 810 |
| AQUA PA EAST PIKELAND | 675 |
| AQUA PA STONECROFT | 600 |
| AQUA PA PEDDLERS VIEW | 600 |
| AQUA PA SUPERIOR CENTER POINT | 500 |
| AQUA PA FRANKLIN | 265 |
| AQUA PA SUPERIOR MEADOWBROOK | 250 |
| AQUA PA HILLCREST ESTATES II | 214 |
| AQUA PA GEIGERTOWN WATER SYS | 200 |
| AQUA PA SUPERIOR IVY RIDGE | 150 |
| AQUA PA EAST POINTE | 75 |
Frequently asked questions about Bryn Mawr tap water
Is Bryn Mawr tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 49 contaminants in the water serving Bryn Mawr. 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 Bryn Mawr?
25 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Bryn Mawr's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Bryn Mawr include Nitrate, Copper, Chlorite, Fluoride, Barium. The full list, with the highest level found 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.