City of Bethlehem
EPA ID: PA3480046 · 117,259 people served · 19 ZIP codes
Over the tracked period, City of Bethlehem logged 6 EPA violations — each has been remedied, and the system now supplies 117,259 people in good standing.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 1 (2022) to 8 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for City of Bethlehem Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The City of Bethlehem serves a community with a median household income of $90,026 and an estimated 337,271 residents across its service area. Approximately 69% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
City of Bethlehem's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.
About 1% of homes in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Wastewater Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 66th percentile nationally for proximity to wastewater discharge points. Surface water sources near wastewater outfalls may face additional treatment challenges.
Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 80th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How City of Bethlehem compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.06 mg/L. Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Lead and Copper Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
E. coli at 1 Zero tolerance (any positive sample triggers immediate action) exceeds the EPA maximum of Zero tolerance (any positive sample triggers immediate action). Severe GI illness; potentially fatal kidney failure in children. Consider UV disinfection (99.99%) filtration.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 23 detections recorded. 7 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 2 exceed state limits.
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) was detected in this water system. granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →Comparable Water Systems
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Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.
System Overview
CITY OF BETHLEHEM (EPA ID: PA3480046) is a community water system in Pennsylvania that serves approximately 117,259 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 19 ZIP codes across 11 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (55/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 24, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| September 15, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Health-based | Resolved |
| September 15, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| August 1, 2025 | E. coli | Monitoring | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 2 | Yes |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 1 | No |
| E. coli | Microbiological | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18015 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 18016 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 18017 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 18018 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 18020 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 18025 | 0.001 mg/L | No | N/A |
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 14 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 5 additional ZIPs inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
- 18001 — Lehigh Valley
- 18002 — Lehigh Valley
- 18003 — Lehigh Valley
- 18014 — Bath
- 18015 — Bethlehem
- 18016 — Bethlehem
- 18017 — Bethlehem
- 18018 — Bethlehem
- 18020 — Bethlehem
- 18025 — Bethlehem
- 18034 — Center Valley
- 18036 — Coopersburg
- 18045 — Easton
- 18049 — Emmaus
- 18055 — Hellertown
- 18064 — Nazareth
- 18067 — Northampton
- 18103 — Allentown
- 18109 — Allentown
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for City of Bethlehem (PA3480046) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Bethlehem water safe to drink?
City of Bethlehem has recorded 1 health-based violation in the past 5 years. While the system is required to treat water to meet federal standards, you may want to consider additional precautions such as a certified water filter.
How many people does City of Bethlehem serve?
City of Bethlehem serves approximately 117,259 people across 19 ZIP codes in Pennsylvania.
Where does City of Bethlehem get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from City of Bethlehem Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: City of Bethlehem Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
A Source Water Assessment of the Tunkhannock Creek Intake was completed in 2001. The assessment found that the Tunkhannock Intake is potentially most susceptible to road deicing materials, accidental spills along roads, and leaks in underground storage tanks. Overall, the Tunkhannock Creek Watershed has little risk of significant contamination. A Source Water Assessment of the Wild Creek Watershed found that the watershed is potentially most susceptible to individual point source activities, including above ground storage tanks and underground petroleum storage tanks, and to non-point source activities, including fuel oil storage tanks, household cleaning supplies, highway spills, highway salt applications, lawn care supplies, on-lot sewage disposal, petroleum pipelines, swimming pools, wells (abandoned or active), and bore holes (abandoned or active).
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from City of Bethlehem Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.
Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.
Aesthetic water quality
These measurements describe the look, taste, and feel of the water this utility delivers. They are not contaminant violations — they sit alongside federal Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs) which the EPA publishes as non-enforceable guidance.
Aesthetic measurements from City of Bethlehem Consumer Confidence Report.
Aesthetic measurements are reported by the utility from its annual sampling. EPA Secondary MCLs are advisory thresholds — values outside them indicate aesthetic concerns such as taste or appearance, not health violations. Federal contaminant testing is shown in the sections above.
How Water Systems Appear in Rankings
Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
City of Bethlehem (EPA ID: PA3480046) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.