We read 13 results from Bethlehem WD No 1’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 2 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 31,000 people · Water system ID NY0100191 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2025 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper90th percentile of 30 homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 16 | 0.34 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Above the health goal1.1x the health goal |
| Lead90th percentile of 30 homes tested, 1 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 16 | 1.02 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal5.1x the health goal |
| Bariumsingle sample · listed as a violation in the report · printed as 35.5 ug/L · New Salem Well #2, highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 17 | 0.04 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chloridesingle sample · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · New Salem Well #2 · 2025 report, page 17 | 59.6 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Chlorineaverage · range 1.41 to 2.9 · listed as a violation in the report · New Salem WTP · 2025 report, page 16 | 2.01 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Chromium (total)single sample · listed as a violation in the report · New Salem WTP · 2025 report, page 16 | 5.7 ppb | None set | 100 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system (Beldale Krumkill) · 2025 report, page 16 | 65.8 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Nitrate (as N)single sample · listed as a violation in the report · New Salem Well #2, highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 17 | 2.32 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Sulfatesingle sample · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · New Salem Well #2 · 2025 report, page 17 | 38.4 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · listed as a violation in the report · New Salem WTP · 2025 report, page 16 | 0.12 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| Nickelsingle sample · listed as a violation in the report · New Salem WTP · 2025 report, page 16 | 3.1 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBA (a PFAS)single sample · listed as a violation in the report · New Salem WTP · 2025 report, page 16 | 2.14 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumsingle sample · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · New Salem Well #2 · 2025 report, page 17 | 31.1 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper. 1 number we weren’t sure about is held back until a person checks.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in Bethlehem WD No 1’s water between Jan 2023 and Oct 2023. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- Lithium141 ppbFound in 5 of 10 samples · highest resultAbove EPA’s health reference level of 10 ppb (a guide, not a legal limit)
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Lead
Found: Copper, Lead
What removes it: Reverse osmosis or Certified carbon block or RO.
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