Is Manheim, PA tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
East Hempfield Water Authority, the largest system here, had PFAS above the 2024 federal limits (PFOA, PFOS) in EPA's 2023–2025 testing.
Is it an emergency? No: PFAS limits are about years of exposure, not a glass of water, and nothing in EPA's data calls for you to stop drinking the water today. If your utility issues a boil-water or do-not-drink notice, follow it.
2 public water systems serve parts of Manheim. The largest, East Hempfield Water Authority, serves 20,988 people, and 2 systems here had PFAS above a federal limit. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
East Hempfield Water Authority
20,988 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID PA7360063
Buys treated water from City of Lancaster.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Above limit | 8.35 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Above limit | 4.95 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
For context: the PFOA average is higher than at 93% of the Pennsylvania systems EPA tested and the PFOS average is higher than at 81% of the Pennsylvania systems EPA tested.
Lead: 8 ppb at the 90th percentile (Sep 2025, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 1
Across Pennsylvania, 85 of 360 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 76 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Pennsylvania results.
Manheim homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Manheim township (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Manheim
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| East Hempfield 5 mi East Hempfield Water Authority | Above limit | 8 ppb |
| Spring 20 mi Pennsylvania American Water – Penn District | Above limit | 3 ppb |
| Derry 22 mi Pennsylvania American Water | None above limits | 3 ppb |
| York 24 mi York Water Company | None above limits | 3 ppb |
| Reading 26 mi Reading Area Water Authority | Above limit | 0 ppb |
| Swatara 29 mi Veolia Water | None above limits | 2.1 ppb |
Manheim ZIP codes (1)
- 17601
Questions
Is Manheim tap water safe to drink?
East Hempfield Water Authority had 1 health-based violation since 2016, and EPA testing found PFAS above the 2024 federal limits, which it must meet by 2029. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Manheim, PA?
2 public water systems serve parts of Manheim. The largest is East Hempfield Water Authority (20,988 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Manheim tap water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing found entry-point averages above the 2024 federal limits for PFOA and PFOS at East Hempfield Water Authority. Systems have until 2029 to meet them.
Do Manheim homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 51% of Manheim homes as built before 1980 (Pennsylvania: 67%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. East Hempfield Water Authority's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.