Reading shares its drinking water source with Philadelphia — the Schuylkill River — but this struggling former industrial city faces its own distinct set of water quality and affordability challenges. Here’s what residents of Pennsylvania’s fifth-largest city need to know.
Where Reading Gets Its Water
The Reading Area Water Authority (RAWA) supplies drinking water to approximately 130,000 people in Reading and surrounding communities. The primary source is the Maiden Creek Reservoir system, supplemented by the Schuylkill River and other surface water sources in Berks County.
Water treatment includes conventional processes: coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. RAWA operates multiple treatment facilities to handle its various sources.
The Schuylkill River — which provides source water for Reading, Philadelphia, and numerous communities in between — has a complicated history. Once considered one of the most polluted rivers in America due to coal mining and industrial discharge, it has made a remarkable recovery since the Clean Water Act. But “recovery” doesn’t mean “clean.” The river still carries the legacy of its industrial past.
Lead Service Lines: A Pennsylvania-Sized Problem
Reading was built in 1748, and much of its housing stock dates from the 1800s and early 1900s. That means lead — in service lines, in interior plumbing solder, and in brass fixtures.
Pennsylvania’s lead service line problem is massive. The state has among the highest estimated counts in the nation, and Reading — with its old housing stock and economic challenges — has a significant share. RAWA has been working on a lead service line inventory as required by the EPA’s revised Lead and Copper Rule.
Lead and Copper Rule testing has shown 90th percentile lead levels below the EPA’s action level for the system as a whole. But system-wide averages mask individual homes where lead levels can be dangerously high — especially in homes with undisturbed lead service lines.
Replacement is expensive. For a city where the median household income is roughly $30,000 — well below the national average — the homeowner-side cost of lead service line replacement can be prohibitive. Some residents face a cruel choice between lead in their water and debt they can’t afford. [NEEDS VERIFICATION: current median household income in Reading and any RAWA programs to assist low-income residents with LSL replacement costs]
Industrial Contamination Legacy
Reading was a manufacturing powerhouse in its heyday. Iron and steel production, textile mills, railroad operations, and specialty manufacturing dominated the economy. Many of these operations generated heavy metal waste, solvents, and other industrial chemicals.
Several contaminated sites in Reading and Berks County are tracked by the Pennsylvania DEP:
- Former industrial properties with VOC contamination in soil and groundwater
- Metal finishing operations that left behind chromium, nickel, and cadmium
- Rail yard sites with petroleum and creosote contamination
- Former manufactured gas plant sites with PAH contamination
The Schuylkill River watershed upstream of Reading includes former coal mining areas where acid mine drainage has historically depressed water quality. While treatment of some major drainage sources has improved conditions, the legacy persists in sediment chemistry and aquatic health. [NEEDS VERIFICATION: current status of AMD treatment in the upper Schuylkill watershed]
Water Affordability: When the Pipes Are Old and the Money Is Tight
Reading consistently ranks among the poorest cities in the United States. Poverty rates hover around 35% — more than double the national average. [NEEDS VERIFICATION: most recent Census poverty rate for Reading]
Water affordability is a real crisis here. When water and sewer bills consume more than 4.5% of household income — the EPA’s old affordability threshold — low-income families face impossible choices. Unpaid bills lead to shutoffs, which create public health risks.
RAWA and the city have explored assistance programs, but the fundamental tension remains: aging infrastructure requires massive investment, that investment has to be funded through rates, and a large portion of the customer base can’t absorb higher rates.
This isn’t just a billing issue — it affects water quality. When residents can’t afford to run their taps (because they’re metering every drop to keep bills down), water sits longer in lead pipes, increasing lead exposure. The poorest residents face the highest risk.
The Schuylkill’s Ongoing Challenges
The Schuylkill River has improved dramatically since the days when coal silt turned it black and industrial discharge killed aquatic life. The Schuylkill River Restoration Fund and decades of Clean Water Act enforcement have made real progress.
But challenges remain:
- Agricultural runoff — the upper watershed includes significant farmland contributing nutrients, sediment, and pesticides
- Stormwater runoff — urbanized areas along the river contribute heavy metals, petroleum products, and trash
- Wastewater discharges — numerous treatment plants discharge into the river between Reading and Philadelphia
- Combined sewer overflows — older communities along the river still have combined sewer systems
- Emerging contaminants — pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and PFAS are detected but not yet fully regulated in surface water
For Reading, source water quality affects treatment costs. More contaminated source water requires more intensive (and more expensive) treatment to produce safe drinking water — which circles back to the affordability problem.
PFAS in the Schuylkill Watershed
PFAS contamination has been detected at various locations in the Schuylkill River watershed. Military installations, airports, and industrial facilities upstream have contributed PFAS to both groundwater and surface water.
RAWA’s PFAS testing results will be crucial as federal MCLs take effect. The utility will need to demonstrate compliance with the EPA’s 2024 limits for six PFAS compounds. If treatment upgrades are needed, the cost will ultimately fall on ratepayers — in a community that already struggles to afford water service. [NEEDS VERIFICATION: RAWA’s most recent PFAS testing results]
What the Data Shows
RAWA’s Consumer Confidence Reports show general compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act standards. Detected contaminants typically include:
- Lead and copper — below action levels at the 90th percentile
- Disinfection byproducts — TTHMs and HAA5 present but below MCLs
- Turbidity — managed through treatment, with occasional spikes during storms
- Total organic carbon — variable based on source water conditions
- Nitrates — present from agricultural watershed influence
EPA’s ECHO database provides compliance history for RAWA’s public water system. Any recent violations or enforcement actions would be visible there.
What Reading Residents Should Do
Find out about your service line. Contact RAWA to check whether your home has a lead service line. Given Reading’s housing age, there’s a strong chance older homes are connected through lead.
Test your water. RAWA may offer lead testing. Independent lab testing is also available — look for labs certified by the Pennsylvania DEP. Test first-draw water after it’s sat in pipes for at least 6 hours.
Use cold water for cooking and drinking. Hot water dissolves more lead from pipes. Always start with cold tap water.
Get a filter. A pitcher or faucet filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead reduction is an affordable first step. For more comprehensive protection, an under-sink reverse osmosis system handles lead, PFAS, nitrates, and disinfection byproducts.
Look into assistance programs. If water bills are a burden, ask RAWA about payment assistance, low-income programs, or lead service line replacement assistance. Pennsylvania has also directed state funding toward lead pipe replacement.
Don’t ignore discolored water. If your water runs brown or yellow — which can happen after main work or in areas with old iron pipes — flush until clear and report it to RAWA.
If you’re concerned about your water quality, a certified water treatment professional can test your water and advise on solutions.