Is Emmaus, PA tap water safe?
The short answer
2 of the 4 utilities serving Emmaus have a result above a legal limit or action level, or a health-based violation since 2016, in EPA’s and Pennsylvania’s records: Emmaus Borough Public Water and Lca Wlsa Central Division.
Emmaus Borough Public Water, which serves the most people here, has 2 results above the legal limit, 2 results above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029 and 2 results above the health goal. The worst: PFOS at 989 ppt, above Pennsylvania’s limit.
The water from Emmaus Borough Public Water is hard, typically 141 mg/L (8.2 grains per gallon). How Pennsylvania’s water compares.
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 Emmaus’s ZIP codes, from EPA’s estimates.
- Open report
Emmaus Borough Public Water
Pennsylvania · serves 14,000 people · about 2,200 in Emmaus
2 results above the legal limit, 2 results above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029 and 2 results above the health goal. The worst: PFOS at 989 ppt, above Pennsylvania’s limit. Hardness: hard, typically 141 mg/L (8.2 grains per gallon).
1 health-based violation since 2016
- Open report
Lca Wlsa Central Division
Pennsylvania · serves 47,693 people · about 270 in Emmaus
1 result above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029 and 2 results above the health goal. The worst: PFOA at 5.1 ppt, above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029. Hardness: very hard, typically 244 mg/L (14.3 grains per gallon).
2 health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Lca Emmaus Consecutive Div
Pennsylvania · serves 1,046 people · about 260 in Emmaus
3 results above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029 and 1 result above the limit’s level with no violation recorded. The worst: PFOS at 226 ppt, above the limit’s level, no violation. Hardness: very hard, 183 mg/L (10.7 grains per gallon).
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Lca Upper Milford Central Div
Pennsylvania · serves 256 people · about 110 in Emmaus
2 results above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029 and 2 results above the health goal. The worst: PFOS at 10.5 ppt, above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029. Hardness: hard, 176 mg/L (10.3 grains per gallon).
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 Emmaus Borough Public Water’s water, which serves the most people here. Another utility’s report names what handles its own results.
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PUR PLUS 11-Cup Pitcher (PPT111W)
Pitcher
- NSF listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
Certified for: PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, Lead
Culligan 10-Cup Pitcher with ZeroWater Technology (ZEROP10)
Pitcher
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 9, 2026
Certified for: PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, Lead
Culligan MaxClear Scout Gravity Water Filter (MCS701P)
Dispenser
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 9, 2026
Certified for: PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, Lead
Water testing near Emmaus
The 3 labs Pennsylvania certifies closest to Emmaus, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.
Analytical Laboratories, Inc
Telford, PA · about 15 miles
Certified for bacteria, nitrate
ABE Laboratories LLC
Bath, PA · about 18 miles
Certified for bacteria, nitrate, minerals and other inorganics
Eurofins Philadelphia - Wind Gap
Wind Gap, PA · about 24 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 PennsylvaniaZIP codes in Emmaus
Which ZIP codes are in Emmaus: 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 Emmaus
Other towns in Lehigh County with a page of their own.
What to do next
- Read Emmaus Borough Public Water’s full reportEvery result with its dates, the violations, and the certification claim that handles each finding.Open the report
- Filters for PFOSRanked by certification and what they cost over five years.The best water filters for PFAS, ranked
- On a private well?No utility tests a well. A certified lab test is the first step.How to test well water