We read 18 results from North Wales Water Authority’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 5 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 72,496 people · Water system ID PA1460048 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bromatehighest measured · range ND to 4.5 · listed as a violation in the report · Forest Park plant · 2025 report, page 6 | 2.7 ppb | 0.1 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal27x the health goal |
| Lead90th percentile of 34 homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 7 | 1.6 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal8x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)highest running annual average · range 5.54 to 14.7 · listed as a violation in the report · NWWA wells · 2025 report, page 7 | 12.6 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 14 ppt (Pennsylvania) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20293.2x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029; below the 14 ppt Pennsylvania limitNot a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| PFOS (a PFAS)highest running annual average · range 4.1 to 12.2 · listed as a violation in the report · NWWA wells · 2025 report, page 7 | 10.5 ppt | 1 ppt | 18 ppt (Pennsylvania) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20292.6x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029; below the 18 ppt Pennsylvania limitNot a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| Uraniumhighest measured · range 1.65 to 4.8 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · NWWA wells · 2025 report, page 6 | 4.8 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal8x the health goal |
| Bariumhighest measured · range 0.13 to 0.54 · listed as a violation in the report · NWWA wells · 2025 report, page 6 | 0.54 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorinehighest measured · range 1.06 to 1.38 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 1.38 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of 34 homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.26 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range ND to 34.5 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 29.6 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 8.7 to 78.1 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 46.2 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)average · Finished water (UCMR5) · 2025 report, page 7 | 3.65 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| Sulfatehighest measured · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2024 · NWWA wells · 2025 report, page 6 | 80.2 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · listed as a violation in the report · Forest Park plant · 2025 report, page 6 | 0.07 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| Lithiumaverage · Finished water (UCMR5) · 2025 report, page 7 | 9.36 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBA (a PFAS)average · Finished water (UCMR5) · 2025 report, page 7 | 6.07 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBS (a PFAS)average · Finished water (UCMR5) · 2025 report, page 7 | 4.86 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHpA (a PFAS)average · Finished water (UCMR5) · 2025 report, page 7 | 3.73 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)average · Finished water (UCMR5) · 2025 report, page 7 | 5.45 ppt | 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 North Wales Water Authority’s water between Aug 2024 and May 2025. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA13 pptFound in 12 of 16 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS11.1 pptFound in 11 of 16 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS3.7 pptFound in 2 of 16 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- PFNA5.6 pptFound in 1 of 16 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- PFBS6.4 pptFound in 12 of 16 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- Lithium9.65 ppbFound in 2 of 16 samples · highest resultBelow EPA’s health reference level of 10 ppb
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: Lead
What removes it: Certified carbon block or RO.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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