Public water system · PA7360058
ActiveCity of Lancaster
At a glance
City of Lancaster (PWSID PA7360058) is an active community water system in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It reports serving 120,000 people through 49,376 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in May 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
120,000
Service connections
49,376
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does City of Lancaster compare with other water systems in Lancaster County?
By EPA's size categories, City of Lancaster is a very large system (more than 100,000 people). Lancaster County has 402 active public water systems, and City of Lancaster is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 119 times the county average of 1,008 people per system, and accounts for 30% of the 405,283 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Pennsylvania, the 7,217 active systems average 1,741 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so City of Lancaster is about 18 times that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Pennsylvania has 1,762 active community water systems, 24% of the state's 7,217 active systems. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 246 Pennsylvania systems (3.4%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates City of Lancaster?
EPA lists City of Lancaster as owned by a local government. The PA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 34 of the 402 active systems in Lancaster County (8.5%) are also owned by a local government.
Does City of Lancaster have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in May 2025. The violations listed here began between January 2011 and May 2025. By type: 10 monitoring and reporting and 2 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Surface Water Treatment Rule (2 of them). EPA lists 12 as resolved. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2016-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2013-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Turbidity (Enhanced SWTR) · code 38 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0300 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | cis-1,2-Dichloroethylenecode 2380 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | trans-1,2-Dichloroethylenecode 2979 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,1,2-Trichloroethanecode 2985 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,1-Dichloroethylenecode 2977 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | p-Dichlorobenzenecode 2969 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,2-Dichloropropanecode 2983 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | o-Dichlorobenzenecode 2968 | No | Resolved |
The 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
City of Lancaster: frequently asked questions
Who runs City of Lancaster?
City of Lancaster (PWSID PA7360058) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the PA state drinking water program.
How many people does City of Lancaster serve?
City of Lancaster reports serving 120,000 people through 49,376 service connections in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Where does City of Lancaster get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as surface water. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs.
Does City of Lancaster have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in May 2025. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is City of Lancaster's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in May 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the PA state drinking water program.
Where can I find City of Lancaster's water quality report?
As a community water system, City of Lancaster must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Lancaster County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Water Co | Lancaster | 25,200 | Community | Surface water |
| Ephrata Area Joint Authority | Lancaster | 24,500 | Community | Surface water |
| East Hempfield Water Auth | Lancaster | 20,988 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Elizabethtown Area Water | Lancaster | 19,000 | Community | Surface water |
| Mt Joy Boro Auth | Lancaster | 15,261 | Community | Groundwater under influence of surface water |
| Lititz Boro | Lancaster | 9,397 | Community | Groundwater under influence of surface water |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “City of Lancaster, PWSID PA7360058, Pennsylvania”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/pennsylvania/city-of-lancaster-pa7360058 (data as of October 1, 2026).