No PFAS were detected in any of the 4 samples EPA's program collected.
City of Bethlehem is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, serving about 117,259 people, including Bath, Bethlehem, Center Valley, Hellertown, Nazareth, Northampton. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 4 times across 1 sampling point between Feb 2024 and Nov 2024.
None of the 29 PFAS were found at or above EPA's minimum reporting levels (2 to 20 ppt depending on the compound).
Not detected: NMeFOSAA, NEtFOSAA, PFTrDA, PFTA, PFDoA, PFBA, PFHpA, 6:2 FTS, PFHxA, PFUnA, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, 9Cl-PF3ONS, ADONA, PFBS, PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, 4:2 FTS, HFPO-DA, PFHpS, 8:2 FTS, PFPeS, NFDHA, PFEESA, PFMBA, PFPeA, PFMPA, PFDA.
Lithium, tested in the same program: not detected.
In April 2024 EPA set enforceable limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX, and a hazard index of 1 for mixtures. Utilities were given until 2029 to comply. In May 2026 EPA proposed keeping only the PFOA and PFOS limits and moving that deadline to 2031. Until that proposal is final, the 2024 limits stand.
Compliance is judged on a running annual average at each entry point, so we show the average at this system's worst sampling point next to its single highest result. UCMR 5 results do not by themselves put a utility in or out of compliance.
No PFAS action is needed on these results. If your water tastes or smells of chlorine, a whole-house city water filter is the usual fix.
All 390 tested systems in Pennsylvania
18014 18015 18017 18018 18020 18025 18034 18055 18064 18067 18103 18109
As reported by the utility to EPA. Neighbouring ZIPs are often split between systems; your water bill names yours.
Well & Tap. "PFAS in City of Bethlehem water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID PA3480046. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/pennsylvania/city-of-bethlehem/
Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID PA3480046). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.
