Reading Tap Water Quality Report
Reading's water has 3 contaminants above EPA MCLGs. Consider using a certified water filter for additional protection.
Other systems listed for Reading with results above guidelines: AQUA PA FLYING HILLS WA SYS (7 above guidelines)
People Served
87,000
Health-based violations since 2020
1
READING AREA WATER AUTHORITY. EPA SDWA violation data as of Q2 2026 (downloaded 2026-07-09).
Latest sample on file
Nov 2020 · READING AREA WATER AUTHORITY
Utilities publish newer results in their annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report).
Is Reading Tap Water Safe to Drink?
We recommend using a certified water filter for additional protection, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems. Reading's water has 3 contaminants above EPA health-based guidelines (MCLGs).
READING AREA WATER AUTHORITY, Reading's water system, serves 87,000 people. 1 other system is listed for Reading. Each system's results are listed under its own name, never added to READING AREA WATER AUTHORITY's. Water quality testing is conducted regularly and reported to the EPA. The latest sample on file for READING AREA WATER AUTHORITY is from Nov 2020.
Boil water advisories are issued by water systems and state agencies, and they change from day to day. Boil water advisories in Pennsylvania
Reading Water Service Areas
What these numbers actually mean for Reading, PA
We read Reading, PA’s published record and send you a short report — which findings warrant a decision, which to ignore, and what to do about it. Including when the answer is nothing.
- 3 contaminants above EPA MCLGs and 4 contaminants with an EPA health goal detected in some samples (no level on file)
- 110 results on file
- 23 PFAS compounds on record
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Recommended Water Filters for Reading
Based on Reading's water quality data, these NSF-certified filters are recommended to remove contaminants above EPA MCLGs.
Culligan
ZeroWater
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
1.9 gpm
Daily Production
1 gpd
Highlights:
- Compact design
- Easy to set up
- Affordable
- NSF-42, NSF-53, NSF-401 certified
Removes 19 contaminants:
+14 more
Strontium, Molybdenum, Fluoride, Uranium, Lead, Total PFAS, Chlorine, 25, Phosphorus, Bicarbonate, Calcium, Carbonate, Magnesium, Sodium
Santevia
Bath Filter
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
0.36 gpm
Highlights:
- Organic cotton design reduces plastic used in construction
- Affordable upfront & ongoing cost
- The only bath filter that removed 100% chlorine with “normal” faster faucet flow
Removes 1 contaminants:
Waterdrop
A1
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
1 gpm
Highlights:
- Performance certified
- Lower price than Philips
- Hot water dispensing
- Compact design
Removes 5 contaminants:
Whirlpool Corporation
W11256135
NSF Certified:
Capacity
1001 gal
Filter Life
3 mo
Flow Rate
0.7 gpm
Removes 19 contaminants:
+14 more
Benzene, Carbofuran, Chlorine (Free), Chlorine (Total), Chlorine Dioxide, Chlorobenzene, Cryptosporidium, Ethylbenzene, Lead, Mercury, Metolachlor, Tetrachloroethylene, Toxaphene, Turbidity
Verify Your Water Quality with Independent Testing
With 3 contaminants above EPA MCLGs and 4 contaminants with an EPA health goal detected in some samples (no level on file), independent laboratory testing provides a second opinion and can track changes over time.
SimpleLab
Advanced Home Water Test
$269
Comprehensive water analysis testing over 200 contaminants including bacteria, heavy metals, and chemical compounds.
Tap Score
Haloacetic Acids (HAA9) Test
$275
Tests for disinfection byproducts formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water treatment.
Tap Score
PFAS Forever Chemicals Test
$339.95
Specialized test for PFOA, PFOS, and 24 other forever chemicals. Essential for areas near military bases, airports, or industrial sites.
With 3 contaminants above health guidelines, you may want to explore water purification options. Learn how to make distilled water at home for applications like humidifiers, CPAP machines, and baby formula.
What Reading's water readings can explain
Utility-reported data for Reading includes a chlorine-based disinfectant — the readings behind these common tap water questions. We publish a city-level hardness figure for Reading, resolved from its water systems where they report one and estimated from county sampling where they do not. Each page starts with the hot-tap and cold-tap check, then shows what your own water system reported.
On a private well near Reading? Public-water results do not apply to private wells. See Berks County well water testing and USGS risk data — modeled arsenic, nitrate, and the tests to run.
Water softener cost and installation in Reading
Reading's tap water has an estimated 3.7 grains per gallon (64.0 mg/L, county sampling in Berks County) — moderately hard on the USGS scale, below the range where scale is usually worth treating.
Water softener cost for an estimated 3.7 gpg water in Reading — equipment and local installation labour for your ZIP code, with the sizing arithmetic shown in full. For the national picture first, read what a water softener costs — equipment, installation labour and ten-year ownership, each separated out. For Pennsylvania as a whole, read water softener cost in Pennsylvania — priced against the plumber wage published for the state.
Frequently Asked Questions About Reading Tap Water
Reading's water has 3 contaminants above EPA MCLGs. We recommend using a certified water filter for additional protection, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.
Spotted something off on this page?
Residents keep our data honest.
This form corrects our data; it does not reach READING AREA WATER AUTHORITY. For a problem with your water now (discolored water, no water, low pressure, a leak), contact READING AREA WATER AUTHORITY directly.
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