The drinking water supplied by Capital Region Water exceeds all federal and state drinking water standards. The Water Quality Report is our way of giving our customers a transparent overview of the quality of water that we provide each year.
Included in this report are details about the source of your water and how it compares to EPA and Pennsylvania regulatory standards. It is our commitment to provide crystal clear information to each of our customers. We are dedicated to protecting this water from raindrop to river!
Consider the Source
The place where your drinking water comes from is called its source. Your primary source of drinking water comes from the DeHart Dam and Reservoir, located 20 miles northeast of Harrisburg in the pristine Clarks Valley.
A watershed is the area of land draining to the source. DeHart Reservoir is lucky to have its watershed made up almost entirely of forest; the best type of land use for drinking water.
Our secondary source is the Susquehanna River, which is utilized for a brief period each year to ensure resiliency in the case of severe drought or emergency. As part of Capital Region Water’s ongoing efforts to be proactive and ensure reliable service, Capital Region Water temporarily pumped and treated a blend of water from the Susquehanna River and DeHart for 12 days in November 2021 to ensure its reliability during a potential emergency.
Protecting the Source
A Source Water Assessment of Capital Region Water’s sources was completed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in 2003. The Assessment found that on lot septic systems and fuel oil storage facilities pose the greatest threat to the DeHart Dam Intake. Agriculture activities, gas stations, urban runoff, and the potential for spills from bridges crossing the river are the most significant potential sources of contamination to the Susquehanna River. A summary report is available by visiting the Source Water Assessment Summary Reports eLibrary at: www.elibrary.dep.state.pa.us/dsweb/View/Collection-10045.
A voluntary Source Water Protection Plan was completed by Capital Region Water and approved by DEP in 2015. This plan includes the inventory of potential sources of contaminants in the assessment area and identifies management options for best protecting our water sources. Capital Region Water has prioritized watershed protection and pollution prevention. Over the last few years, efforts have been made to permanently protect the DeHart Property and Capital Region Water’s primary source of water supply.
Lead & Copper Sampling
Following its mandated Lead and Copper Rule sampling plan, Capital Region Water recently completed its required Lead and Copper Rule sampling plan by testing 45 high-risk residential homes throughout its service area in 2022.
State and federal regulations require the 90th percentile lead level to be less than 15 parts per billion, meaning the lead level must not exceed this level in at least 90 percent of the homes sampled. Capital Region Water’s result was 0 parts per billion. Capital Region Water will test for lead and copper again in 2025.
More Safe Drinking Water resources are available at: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead