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Buckingham Preserve

What EPA’s and Pennsylvania’s records show in this utility’s water: PFAS; nitrate, arsenic and other regulated chemicals; and violations since 2016, with the certification that handles each result.

Serves
50 people
Connections
136
Water source
Groundwater
Based in
Douglassville, PA
County
Berks
Owner
Local government
The ZIP code it serves

19518

The short answer

1 result is above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029, and 3 more are above the health goal. The worst: PFOA, above EPA’s new limit (2029). No health-based violations on file since 2016.

What handles it

What was found

PFAS: Pennsylvania’s own results under its PFAS rule, entry point samples taken from Jan. 2, 2025 to July 1, 2026.

Nitrate, arsenic, total trihalomethanes (TTHM), haloacetic acids (HAA5), chromium (total) and fluoride: Pennsylvania’s own results, samples taken from Jan. 3, 2020 to Oct. 7, 2026, with EPA’s 2012 to 2019 file for earlier years.

Uranium: EPA’s compliance monitoring file, samples taken from Jan. 2, 2018 to Jan. 2, 2018. Newer results are in the utility’s annual water quality report.

PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS and PFBS were found, of the six PFAS in EPA’s 2024 drinking water rule; their results are below.

EPA’s 2024 PFAS rule, compound by compound

PFASEPA’s limitResult
PFOA4.0 pptAbove EPA’s new limit (2029)6.0 ppt highest, found in 7 of 7 samples. Details
PFOS4.0 pptAbove the health goal3.7 ppt highest, found in 7 of 7 samples. Details
PFHxS10 pptBelow EPA’s limits2.1 ppt highest, found in 4 of 7 samples. Details
PFNA10 pptNot foundNot found in any of 7 samples
HFPO-DA (GenX)10 pptNot foundNot found in any of 7 samples
PFBSIndex onlyBelow EPA’s limits15 ppt highest, found in 7 of 7 samples. Details
Results from Pennsylvania’s own PFAS monitoring, samples where water enters the pipes; each compound’s card has its four-quarter averages, the way limits are judged. The limits are EPA’s 2024 rule, with compliance due from 2029; EPA has since proposed changes to some of them, explained on each compound’s page. Pennsylvania’s own limits for PFOA and PFOS are in force now. PFBS has no limit of its own and counts only toward EPA’s Hazard Index, which TapBuff works out only from UCMR 5’s averages, so it isn’t given here.

About PFAS certifications

NSF’s PFAS claims are tested to below 20 ppt. EPA’s limit is 4.0 ppt, and EPA says no certification yet shows a filter reaching its levels.

Above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 20291

PFOA

Comes from the source

Above EPA’s new limit (2029)

6.0ppt

Highest sample, July 16, 2025; found in 7 of 7

2026 average: 4.4 ppt

The highest sample was 6.0 ppt, above EPA’s new limit of 4.0 ppt, which takes effect in 2029. EPA’s health goal is zero. Compliance will be judged on a running annual average, not one sample. Averaged over four quarters at one entry point, the way both Pennsylvania’s limit and EPA’s are judged, the highest was 5.3 ppt, for the year to Dec. 31, 2025: below Pennsylvania’s limit of 14 ppt and above EPA’s new limit of 4.0 ppt. In 2026, the latest year on file, its three samples averaged 4.4 ppt.

What handles it

Above the health goal3

Nitrate

Comes from the source

Above the health goal

14.2ppm

Highest sample; found in 83 of 83

2026 average: 6.7 ppm

From 2020 to 2026, at least 25 samples were above EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppm, the highest 14.2 ppm in 2023. 25 have no follow-up sample on file within 30 days. 10 ppm is also EPA’s health goal. In 2026, the latest year on file, its 10 samples averaged 6.7 ppm. EPA recorded no violation for nitrate at this utility since 2020. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest sample of 13.9 ppm, in 2019.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Nitrate/Nitrite Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Nitrate/Nitrite (30 ppm challenge)”

PFOS

Comes from the source

Above the health goal

3.7ppt

Highest sample, Jan. 2, 2025; found in 7 of 7

2026 average: 3.1 ppt

The highest sample was 3.7 ppt: below EPA’s new limit of 4.0 ppt, which takes effect in 2029, but above its health goal of zero. Averaged over four quarters at one entry point, the way both Pennsylvania’s limit and EPA’s are judged, the highest was 3.4 ppt, for the year to June 30, 2026: below Pennsylvania’s limit of 18 ppt and below EPA’s new limit of 4.0 ppt. In 2026, the latest year on file, its three samples averaged 3.1 ppt.

What handles it

Arsenic

Comes from the source

Above the health goal

1.0ppb

Highest yearly average, 2021 to 2024

Averaged by year, the highest was 1.0 ppb, in 2024: below EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppb, but above its health goal of zero. That was also the latest year on file.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction”

Below EPA’s limits4

Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

22.9ppb

Highest yearly average, 2022 to 2025

Averaged by year, the highest was 22.9 ppb, in 2025, below EPA’s legal limit of 80 ppb. That was also the latest year on file. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 27.5 ppb, in 2012.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”

PFHxS

Comes from the source

Below EPA’s limits

2.1ppt

Highest sample, Oct. 1, 2025; found in 4 of 7

2026 average: 1.2 ppt

The highest sample was 2.1 ppt, below EPA’s new limit of 10 ppt, which takes effect in 2029. Averaged over four quarters at one entry point, the way EPA’s limit is judged, the highest was 1.4 ppt, for the year to Sept. 30, 2026: below EPA’s new limit of 10 ppt. In 2026, the latest year on file, its three samples averaged 1.2 ppt.

What handles it

Haloacetic acids (HAA5)

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

9.1ppb

Highest yearly average, 2022 to 2025

2025, one sample: 3.4 ppb

Averaged by year, the highest was 9.1 ppb, in 2022, below EPA’s legal limit of 60 ppb. In 2025, the latest year on file, its one sample was 3.4 ppb. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 13 ppb, in 2012.

What handles it

No certification claim covers this compound yet.

PFBS

Comes from the source

Below EPA’s limits

15ppt

Highest sample, Oct. 1, 2025; found in 7 of 7

2026 average: 10.5 ppt

The highest sample was 15 ppt, below EPA’s hazard index benchmark of 2,000 ppt. PFBS has no legal limit or health goal of its own. In 2026, the latest year on file, its three samples averaged 10.5 ppt.

What handles it

5 compounds tested and not foundBelow the reporting level in every sample. Not found is not the same as zero.

From routine monitoring

  • Chromium (total)
  • Fluoride
  • Uranium

PFAS, from Pennsylvania’s own monitoring

  • HFPO-DA (GenX)
  • PFNA

What handles it

A certification covers specific claims, not a whole standard. Look for these claims on the certifier’s listing, not the box. Wording varies a little: NSF writes “Lead Reduction,” WQA just “Lead.”

  • NSF/ANSI 53

    Claims: PFOA Reduction, Nitrate/Nitrite (30 ppm challenge), PFOS Reduction, Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction

    For: PFOA, Nitrate, PFOS, Arsenic

    Other certifiers’ wording: Total PFAS Reduction; Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA); Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS); Arsenic (III) (50 ppb influent level)

  • NSF/ANSI 58

    Claims: Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), Nitrate/Nitrite Reduction, Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction

    For: PFOA, Nitrate, PFOS, Arsenic

    Other certifiers’ wording: Nitrate; Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=300 ppb Reduction; Arsenic (V) (300 ppb influent level)

At the tap, or for the whole house?

These come with the water itself, so a whole-house system certified for the same claims treats every tap and shower. A filter at the tap treats drinking water for much less. How whole-house systems compare.

Filters with those claims on a certifier’s listing

Disclosure: TapBuff earns a commission if you buy through some links on this page. It does not change which standard or filter we name. As an Amazon Associate, TapBuff earns from qualifying purchases. How TapBuff makes money

Compare five-year costs

The best water filters for PFAS, ranked

The best reverse osmosis systems, ranked

Violations since 2016

No health-based violations on file with EPA since 2016. There are 9 monitoring or reporting violations: a sample missed, late or not reported.

What this report can’t tell you

  • Everything else. Nitrate, arsenic, total trihalomethanes (TTHM), haloacetic acids (HAA5), chromium (total) and fluoride results here are Pennsylvania’s own from 2020 on, with EPA’s national file for 2012 to 2019. Uranium comes from EPA’s file alone, which ends in 2019. Buckingham Preserve’s own annual report, which it must send you every year, has newer results for those and the contaminants this page does not show.

  • Your own plumbing. Lead results are the 90th percentile across homes the utility samples. Your home’s service line, solder and fixtures decide yours. A certified lab test is the only way to know.

  • What it means for your health. This page reports what the records show and EPA’s limits and goals; it is not medical advice. If you are worried about a health effect, talk to a doctor or your local health department.

  • Anything after the latest data. SDWIS data is from 2026 Q3; UCMR 5 didn’t sample this utility; Pennsylvania’s results run from Jan. 3, 2020 to Oct. 7, 2026; EPA’s compliance samples are from Jan. 2, 2018 to Jan. 2, 2018; Pennsylvania’s PFAS results run from Jan. 2, 2025 to July 1, 2026.

Testing your own tap

Buckingham Preserve’s results are for the water it sends out. What your own service line, solder and fixtures add shows up only in a test of your tap, by a lab Pennsylvania certifies.

The 3 labs Pennsylvania certifies closest to the area Buckingham Preserve serves, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.

  • M. J. Reider Associates Inc

    Reading, PA · about 11 miles

    Certified for bacteria, nitrate, lead and copper, metals, minerals and other inorganics, organic chemicals, disinfection byproducts, PFAS

    (610) 374-5129

  • SPL - Reading

    Reading, PA · about 13 miles

    Certified for bacteria, nitrate, lead and copper, metals, minerals and other inorganics, organic chemicals, disinfection byproducts, PFAS, radioactivity

    (610) 375-8378

  • Analytical Laboratories, Inc

    Telford, PA · about 21 miles

    Certified for bacteria, nitrate

    (215) 723-6466

Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory: Drinking water test kits from many county Extension offices, mailed back to the lab overnight with payment. Packages cover bacteria and basic chemistry, with add-ons for nitrate, metals, lead, and mining or gas drilling concerns. The standard package of bacteria, pH and total dissolved solids is $60, or $70 with nitrate; bacteria alone is $40, nitrate $15 and lead $25. Drinking Water Testing, Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Lab.

All 108 certified labs for Pennsylvania

Sources

PWSID PA3060136. Rebuilt from EPA data on Oct. 18, 2026.

Towns it serves

Also in Berks County

All Pennsylvania utilities

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