Is Brownstown, PA tap water safe?
The short answer
2 of the 4 utilities serving Brownstown have a result above a legal limit or action level, or a health-based violation since 2016, in EPA’s and Pennsylvania’s records: West Earl Water Authority and Upper Leacock Township.
West Earl Water Authority, which serves the most people here, has 1 result above the legal limit and 3 results above the health goal. The worst: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) at 61.1 ppb, above the legal limit.
A town can be served by more than one utility, and some homes are on private wells. The name on your water bill tells you which is yours, and your ZIP code narrows it down. They are listed by how many people each serves in Brownstown’s ZIP codes, from EPA’s estimates.
- Open report
West Earl Water Authority
Pennsylvania · serves 4,327 people · about 1,100 in Brownstown
1 result above the legal limit and 3 results above the health goal. The worst: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) at 61.1 ppb, above the legal limit.
2 health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Ephrata Area Joint Authority
Pennsylvania · serves 24,500 people · about 910 in Brownstown
2 results above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029 and 2 results above the health goal. The worst: PFOA at 5.3 ppt, above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Upper Leacock Township
Pennsylvania · serves 7,734 people · about 220 in Brownstown
1 result above the legal limit, 2 results above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029 and 1 result above the health goal. The worst: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) at 48.5 ppb, above the legal limit.
2 health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Greater Johnstown WA Riverside
Pennsylvania · serves 49,500 people · under 100 in Brownstown
1 result above the health goal. The worst: Lead at 5.0 ppb, above the health goal.
No health-based violations since 2016
What handles it
Each of these is certified, on a certifier’s listing, for a result above a line in West Earl Water Authority’s water, which serves the most people here. Another utility’s report names what handles its own results.
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
Countertop reverse osmosis
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 58NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
Certified for: Arsenic, Lead
Aquasana SmartFlow Reverse Osmosis (AQ-SFRO2)
Under-sink reverse osmosis
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 58NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 9, 2026
Certified for: Arsenic, Lead
Brondell Capella RC250 Reverse Osmosis System
Under-sink reverse osmosis
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 58NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 9, 2026
Certified for: Arsenic, Lead
Water testing near Brownstown
The 3 labs Pennsylvania certifies closest to Brownstown, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.
H2O Environmental LLC
Harrisburg, PA · about 7 miles
Certified for bacteria
ALS Environmental - Middletown
Middletown, PA · about 8 miles
Certified for bacteria, nitrate, lead and copper, metals, minerals and other inorganics, organic chemicals, disinfection byproducts, PFAS, radioactivity
Microbac Laboratories, Inc. - Harrisburg
Harrisburg, PA · about 14 miles
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 PennsylvaniaWhich ZIP codes are in Brownstown: Census 2020 relationship files. Which utilities serve them, and how many people: EPA SDWIS and EPA’s service area map. Each utility’s results: EPA UCMR 5, EPA SDWIS, and EPA’s and the state’s compliance monitoring, as its report lists them. How they are measured: methodology. Certified labs: Pennsylvania DEP Laboratory Accreditation Program, accredited labs for drinking water; distances from the Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation area gazetteer.
Near Brownstown
Other towns in Lancaster County with a page of their own.
What to do next
- Read West Earl Water Authority’s full reportEvery result with its dates, the violations, and the certification claim that handles each finding.Open the report
- About Haloacetic acids (HAA5)What it does to health, where it comes from, and the certification claim that addresses it.About Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
- On a private well?No utility tests a well. A certified lab test is the first step.How to test well water