Bedford County, Pennsylvania
27 ZIP codes · Avg score 49/100 · Grade D · Updated 2026-06-03
Covering 27 ZIP codes, Bedford County falls in the bottom tier for tap water safety — health-based violations are a recurring pattern, and the county's grade signals that residents should check system-level detail for their specific address.
How Bedford County Compares
How Bedford County Compares
Bedford County scores 6 points below the Pennsylvania state average (55/100) and 19 points below the national average (68/100).
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Key Risk Factors
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,727, driven primarily by flood
Infrastructure: 0.46% avg pipe failure probability, 83% of ZIPs at high risk
70.7% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2021–2025)
→ Stable trendEPA violation counts by year across Bedford County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2021 with 6 violations. Past 5 years: 24 total (24 health-based).
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
Infrastructure Overview
Sources: Census ACS (housing age), EPA SDWIS (infrastructure risk model), state bridge inspection data.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,727
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
23,201 housing units in Bedford County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Bedford County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Bedford County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Water Systems with Most Violations
Top 5 systems in Bedford County ranked by EPA violation count.
| # | Water System | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saxton Muni Water Authority | 1,675 | 31 |
| 2 | Woodbury Water Authority | 295 | 31 |
| 3 | ST CLAIRSVILLE WATER COMPANY | 392 | 17 |
| 4 | Osterburg Water Company | 250 | 17 |
| 5 | Defiance Water Assn | 205 | 14 |
21 total water systems serve Bedford County.
All ZIP Codes in Bedford County
27 ZIP codes tracked in Bedford County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15539 | Fishertown | 61 | C | 2 | $143K |
| 2 | 16695 | Woodbury | 60 | C | 6 (2 health) | $163K |
| 3 | 16659 | Loysburg | 57 | C | 9 (2 health) | $158K |
| 4 | 16667 | Osterburg | 56 | C | 17 (3 health) | $135K |
| 5 | 16678 | Saxton | 56 | C | 25 (1 health) | $141K |
| 6 | 16664 | New Enterprise | 54 | D | 2 | $171K |
| 7 | 15533 | Breezewood | 53 | D | 0 | $179K |
| 8 | 15534 | Buffalo Mills | 53 | D | 0 | $152K |
| 9 | 15538 | Fairhope | 53 | D | 0 | $163K |
| 10 | 15550 | Manns Choice | 53 | D | 0 | $161K |
| 11 | 15559 | Schellsburg | 53 | D | 0 | $230K |
| 12 | 16655 | Imler | 53 | D | 0 | $161K |
| 13 | 16672 | Riddlesburg | 53 | D | 0 | $90K |
| 14 | 16633 | Defiance | 52 | D | 14 | $89K |
| 15 | 15521 | Alum Bank | 51 | D | 2 | $193K |
| 16 | 15522 | Bedford | 49 | D | 9 | $198K |
| 17 | 15537 | Everett | 49 | D | 4 | $171K |
| 18 | 15545 | Hyndman | 48 | D | 5 | $119K |
| 19 | 16694 | Wood | 48 | D | 14 | $125K |
| 20 | 15535 | Clearville | 40 | D | 0 | $187K |
| 21 | 15554 | New Paris | 40 | D | 0 | $191K |
| 22 | 15564 | Wellersburg | 40 | D | 0 | $113K |
| 23 | 16650 | Hopewell | 40 | D | 0 | $152K |
| 24 | 16670 | Queen | 40 | D | 0 | — |
| 25 | 17537 | Lampeter | 40 | D | 0 | — |
| 26 | 17568 | Refton | 40 | D | 0 | — |
| 27 | 17583 | West Willow | 40 | D | 0 | — |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Bedford County
If FEMA records flag flood-top-risk status or EPA samples show PFAS exceedances, the matching logic lifts emergency-water and PFAS-rated filtration into the recommendations — federal data drives the order, not retailer arrangements.
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 70.7% of homes built before 1978
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
- Best Radon Test Kits — EPA Radon Zone 1 (highest risk) dominant in county
- Best Sump Pumps — Flood is the top compound risk factor
- Best Mold Test Kits — Flood-driven moisture and mold risk
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Overview
Bedford County in Pennsylvania covers 27 ZIP codes with an average Home Safety Score of D (49/100).
12 of 27 ZIP codes have recorded EPA violations. 8 health-based violations have been documented.
← Back to Pennsylvania water quality report
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Updated daily.
What You Can Do
Bedford County has a grade of D. Here are steps to protect your household.
Test your tap water
Order a certified lab test kit ($20-$50) to check for lead, bacteria, and other contaminants specific to your ZIP code.
Consider a certified water filter
NSF-certified filters can remove most common contaminants. Match the filter to your test results for best protection. Try our filter matcher
Contact your water utility
Request the latest Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) from your water provider. It details exactly what was found in your water supply.
Check for lead in your home
70.7% of homes in this county were built before 1978. Older plumbing and solder can leach lead into drinking water, especially in the morning.