York County tap water: hardness, PFAS and lead

York County, Pennsylvania has about 471,240 residents (Census 2024 estimate) and 45 community water systems in EPA records. The largest local system is York Water Co, serving about 206,762 people from surface water.

! 1 of 6 largest systems with health-based violationsPFAS detected at 3 of 6 sampled systemsHardness 5.0 gpg (high confidence)

Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.

How hard is York County water?

York Water Co Measured (utility report, 2025) · High confidence

5.0 gpg (85 mg/L), moderately hard

Source: YORK WATER CO water quality report, 2025

Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.

Softener size at 5 gpg

For a 3-person home using 57 gallons per person per day and regenerating weekly, you'd remove about 5,985 grains between regenerations. Suggested size: 24,000 grain.

Estimate only. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.

Open the softener calculator with 5 gpg

Largest water systems in York County

The 6 biggest of 45 community water systems on EPA records for this county. Service areas don't follow county lines; your water bill names your provider.

York Water Co

PA7670100 · serves about 206,762 people · Surface water

! 1 health-based violation✓ Lead below action level✓ No PFAS detected

Lead 90th percentile: 3 ppb (period starting 2025-06-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

Hanover Muni Water Works

PA7670076 · serves about 40,900 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action levelPFAS detected (1 type)

Lead 90th percentile: 2 ppb (period starting 2025-06-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

  • PFPeA: highest sample 4.6 ppt (2 of 4 samples); no federal limit

EPA ECHO record

Dover Twp Water Sys

PA7670073 · serves about 21,097 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action levelPFAS detected (6 types)

Lead 90th percentile: 4.9 ppb (period starting 2025-06-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

  • PFPeA: highest sample 10.6 ppt (7 of 20 samples); no federal limit
  • PFOS: highest sample 9.6 ppt (11 of 20 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
  • PFHxA: highest sample 6.4 ppt (2 of 20 samples); no federal limit
  • PFOA: highest sample 5.9 ppt (9 of 20 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
  • PFBS: highest sample 5.7 ppt (11 of 20 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
  • PFHpA: highest sample 3.5 ppt (1 of 20 samples); no federal limit

EPA ECHO record

Red Lion Municipal Authority

PA7670086 · serves about 15,882 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action level✓ No PFAS detected

Lead 90th percentile: 1 ppb (period starting 2025-06-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

Dallastown Yoe Water Auth

PA7670085 · serves about 12,300 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detection✓ No PFAS detected

Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2025-06-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

West Manchester Twp Auth

PA7670101 · serves about 9,960 people · Groundwater

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action levelPFAS detected (6 types)

Lead 90th percentile: 2 ppb (period starting 2025-06-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

  • PFOS: highest sample 11.1 ppt (2 of 6 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
  • PFOA: highest sample 6.3 ppt (1 of 6 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
  • PFBS: highest sample 5.4 ppt (6 of 6 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
  • PFPeA: highest sample 4.3 ppt (1 of 6 samples); no federal limit
  • PFHxA: highest sample 4.1 ppt (1 of 6 samples); no federal limit
  • PFHxS: highest sample 3.3 ppt (1 of 6 samples); federal limit 10.0 ppt as a running annual average, also counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit (currently in effect; EPA has proposed removing it)

EPA ECHO record

Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.

A PFAS detection is not a violation. Federal limits (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS) apply to running annual averages, with compliance required by 2029. In May 2026 EPA proposed extending the PFOA/PFOS deadline to 2031 and removing other PFAS limits; not final as of 2026-10-21.

Test your own tap

These are public records for whole systems. Your home's pipes, fixtures and any private well can change what you drink. A certified lab test or a hardness test strip gives you your own numbers. Then use our PFAS and lead filter selector to see which certifications to look for.

Common questions about York County water

Is tap water in York County safe to drink?

1 of the 6 largest systems here have at least one health-based violation in EPA records since October 2021 (see each system below for status). York Water Co's most recent lead 90th percentile was 3 ppb (2025), below the 15 ppb action level. Public records can't guarantee what comes out of your tap, especially with older plumbing, so a home test is the surest check.

How hard is the water in York County?

York Water Co reports about 5.0 grains per gallon (85 mg/L), which is moderately hard. For a 3-person home at 5 gpg, our softener calculator suggests a 24,000 grain unit as a starting point.

Is there PFAS in York County water?

3 of the 6 sampled systems listed here detected at least one PFAS in EPA's UCMR 5 testing, and 4 results were above the level of a federal limit in at least one sample. A detection isn't a violation: federal PFAS limits apply to running annual averages starting in 2029.

Which water system serves my address in York County?

Most homes are served by York Water Co or one of the other systems listed on this page, but service areas don't follow county lines. Your water bill names your provider, and its annual Consumer Confidence Report has the full test results.

More Pennsylvania counties

Sources for this page

Data as of October 21, 2026. Figures are copied from public records and combined with our own calculations; they can be out of date or wrong. Tapped Out isn't affiliated with any utility or the EPA. Written and reviewed by the Tapped Out team. How we calculate · All sources.