Downingtown water treatment
What's in Downingtown's water, where it comes from, and how to fix what you find. Check your ZIP for your utility's EPA records.
Your water in Downingtown
Downingtown sits on the East Branch of the Brandywine Creek. The borough's water comes from Downingtown Municipal Water Authority, which treats surface water for about 9,900 people, while surrounding townships like Uwchlan, East Caln, and East Brandywine are largely on Aqua Pennsylvania's Uwchlan system or private wells[1].
EPA records show no health-based violations on record for either system. Downingtown Municipal Water Authority's UCMR 5 samples found PFOA up to 4.2 ppt, right at the edge of the 4.0 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029. Aqua's Uwchlan system reported higher levels: PFOA up to 9.3 ppt and PFOS up to 7.1 ppt[2]. About 55% of the 19335 ZIP's land area lies outside mapped service areas.
Local issues to know
- Corrosive wells: 83.3% of Chester County well samples tested for corrosivity by Penn State were outside the non-corrosive range[3], which can cause blue-green stains and leach metals from plumbing[4].
- Radon: 14% of 1,041 USGS-sampled Pennsylvania wells exceeded 4,000 pCi/L[5].
- PFAS differs by system, so check which utility serves your address.
Utility or well? ZIP 19335: about 55% of the land area lies outside mapped public water service areas[1]. Homes in those areas are likely on private wells, which no utility tests. If that's you, start with a free in-home test.
Utility records
Aqua Pennsylvania (Uwchlan)
EPA water system ID PA1150035 · serves about 35,518 people · surface water bought from another supplier
- Health violations
- No health-based violations on record[1]
- Lead
- 2.2 ppb at the 90th percentile of its most recent lead sampling (EPA action level: 15 ppb)[6]
- PFAS
- EPA UCMR 5 sampling found PFOA up to 9.3 ppt, PFOS up to 7.1 ppt, PFPeA up to 7.7 ppt, PFHxA up to 6.7 ppt, so PFOA and PFOS were above the 4.0 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029.[2]
Full EPA record for this system · Ask the utility for its annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for hardness and other details[7].
Downingtown Municipal Water Authority
EPA water system ID PA1150026 · serves about 9,900 people · surface water (rivers, streams, or reservoirs)
- Health violations
- No health-based violations on record[1]
- Lead
- 2 ppb at the 90th percentile of its most recent lead sampling (EPA action level: 15 ppb)[6]
- PFAS
- EPA UCMR 5 sampling found PFOA up to 4.2 ppt, PFBS up to 3.8 ppt, PFPeA up to 3.4 ppt, PFHxA up to 3.1 ppt, so PFOA was above the 4.0 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029.[2]
Full EPA record for this system · Ask the utility for its annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for hardness and other details[7].
Recommended for Downingtown homes
How it works
- Analysis: your free ZIP report and quiz, or a free in-home test (always, for wells).
- Recommendation: a system matched to your results.
- Price: shown only after the analysis.
- Install: buy on your own or talk it through first.
Check your water in Downingtown
Look up what your local water utility has reported to the EPA, then take a 60-second quiz about what you see, taste, and smell at home. We'll use both to recommend the right solution.
Get your water report
Enter your ZIP code to see your utility's violations, lead testing, and PFAS results from public EPA records, explained in plain English.
Data comes from U.S. EPA and Census public records. It covers public water systems, not private wells, and it isn't a test of your home's tap. If you're on a well, a free in-home test is the best way to know what's in your water.
Water self-check quiz
Question 1 of 8Step 2
Your recommended solution
Based on your water report and quiz answers.
Downingtown water questions
Who supplies Downingtown's water?
Inside the borough, Downingtown Municipal Water Authority. Many surrounding homes are on Aqua Pennsylvania or private wells.
Does Downingtown water have PFAS?
The borough authority's EPA samples found PFOA up to 4.2 ppt; Aqua's Uwchlan system found PFOA up to 9.3 ppt and PFOS up to 7.1 ppt. Your free report shows which system serves your ZIP.
Do you test wells around Downingtown?
Yes. Book a free in-home test. For health-related items like bacteria and nitrate, we'll point you to a certified lab.
Book a free water test in Downingtown
Sources
- U.S. EPA: SDWIS Federal Reports (violations, lead and copper results). sdwis.epa.gov/ords/sfdw_pub/r/sfdw/sdwis_fed_reports_public/200
- U.S. EPA: UCMR occurrence data. www.epa.gov/dwucmr/occurrence-data-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule
- Penn State AASL: Chester County drinking water test summary. agsci.psu.edu/aasl/water-testing/drinking-water-testing/drinking-water-test-summaries/chester
- Penn State Extension: Corrosive water problems. extension.psu.edu/corrosive-water-problems
- USGS: High levels of radon found in some wells across Pennsylvania. www.usgs.gov/news/state-news-release/high-levels-radon-found-some-wells-across-pennsylvania
- U.S. EPA: Basic information about lead in drinking water. www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water
- U.S. EPA: Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) information for consumers. www.epa.gov/ccr/ccr-information-consumers
EPA records retrieved Oct 2026 from the EPA SDWIS and UCMR 5 public datasets. Utility records describe a water system, not the tap in your home. Records can lag and may be incomplete.