Well water in Upper Mahanoy township, Pennsylvania
1in4
Testing strongly recommended
tested well samples in Upper Mahanoy township exceeded the EPA limit for nitrate (10 mg/L), based on public data from USGS Water Quality Portal.
1,150 test results across 13 contaminants from at least 41 wells, 1981 to 2025; nitrate has the most at 226. Data refreshed September 3, 2026.
Compiled by Nick at Well Water Nerd from public records. How these pages are built
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Upper Mahanoy township. Above limit means above the EPA maximum contaminant level; where EPA has no enforceable limit, the row shows a health guideline or nuisance level instead.
| Contaminant | Above limit | Samples | Detected | Median | Highest | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate 1981 to 2025 | 226 | 87% | 7.23 | 94.6 | 10 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Fluoride 1981 to 2025 | 108 | 77% | 0.105 | 0.66 | 4 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Arsenic 1981 to 2025 | 105 | 87% | 0.53 | 2.8 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Lead 1981 to 2025 | 105 | 47% | 0 | 3.45 | 15 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Copper 1998 to 2025 | 104 | 78% | 0 | 0.04 | 1.3 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Uranium 1993 to 2025 | 70 | 50% | 0.005 | 0.663 | 30 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Chloride 1981 to 2025 | no limit | 108 | 100% | 6.5 | 4,010 | 250 mg/L nuisance level |
| Iron 1981 to 2025 | no limit | 106 | 45% | 0 | 4,400 | 300 ug/L nuisance level |
| Sodium 1981 to 2025 | no limit | 106 | 100% | 7.03 | 39.1 | 20 mg/L health guideline |
| Manganese 1981 to 2025 | no limit | 106 | 98% | 5.58 | 1,300 | 300 ug/L health guideline |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Radium (226 + 228) (2), E. coli (1), Radon (3).
Over time
Share of samples above the limit by period. A cell needs ten samples to show; a comparison needs twenty in each period. Later periods sample fewer wells, and often the ones already known to have a problem.
| Contaminant | before 2000 | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 21%130 samples | 39%80 samples | n/a | 8%12 samples |
| Fluoride | 0%67 samples | 0%26 samples | n/a | 0%11 samples |
| Arsenic | 0%64 samples | 0%26 samples | n/a | 0%11 samples |
| Lead | 0%64 samples | 0%26 samples | n/a | 0%11 samples |
| Copper | 0%63 samples | 0%26 samples | n/a | 0%11 samples |
| Uranium | 0%42 samples | 0%20 samples | n/a | n/a |
Nitrate above the limit in Upper Mahanoy township rose from 21% of 130 samples before 2000 to 39% of 80 in the 2000s.
Fluoride, arsenic, lead, copper, uranium have held within a few points between the two most recent periods with enough samples.
Closer than the town
See the sampled wells near your address
The same records, drawn around one point: which wells within a few miles were sampled and what they found, how deep the wells next to you were drilled, and any leaking tank or cleanup site within a mile.
Check my addressWhat this means
The contaminants most often above their limit here are nitrate (26% of 226 samples). A well next door can differ sharply from yours because bedrock fractures, well depth and plumbing all matter, so these rates describe the area, not your tap.
Chloride and Manganese are widespread in local groundwater. They are mainly a staining and taste problem, but high manganese also carries a health advisory for infants.
What to test for in Upper Mahanoy township
- 1Nitrate26% of 226 local samples were above the limit.
- 2Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
- 3RadonMedian local reading is 370 pCi/L.
- 4ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
- 5ManganeseDetected in 98% of local samples.
- 6CopperDetected in 78% of local samples.
- 7FluorideDetected in 77% of local samples.
Test your Upper Mahanoy township well for nitrate, coliform bacteria and radon
Certified lab analysis of your own tap water, bottles and prepaid return shipping included. The Essential well panel covers arsenic, uranium, nitrate, lead, copper, manganese, iron, sodium and bacteria; radon and PFAS are add-ons.
Order the Tap Score well water test kit, from $209Already tested? Upload the report
Just want bacteria checked first? Tap Score coliform and E. coli test, $99. Coliform and E. coli are the tests every well needs every year.
Want a quick look before paying for a lab? Home well water test strips on Amazon check hardness, iron, pH and nitrate in minutes. They are a screen, not a result: arsenic, bacteria, uranium and PFAS need a certified lab.
Affiliate links: the merchant pays us a commission and the price is the same for you. It does not change what the data above says. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Where to get a well tested in Pennsylvania: certified labs, state programs and prices.
Already have results back? Get your lab report read against the Upper Mahanoy township numbers, $29. Every line explained, ranked by what matters, with the fix for each.
The rock under Upper Mahanoy township
Valley and Ridge aquifers
Sandstone and carbonate-rock. Layered sandstone and limestone means a well may draw from either. Hardness and iron are routine, and the limestone layers can carry bacteria and nitrate from the surface quickly, so test for both yearly.
Classification from the USGS Principal Aquifers of the United States (national map, 2003 edition, GIS release 2015), read at the town centroid. A single well can sit in a different unit, especially near a boundary.
Official help in Pennsylvania
Two places to start that are not selling anything: the state program that answers private well questions, and its list of labs certified to run drinking water tests. A certified lab is the difference between a result you can act on and a number.
- Private Wells, PA DEP
- Laboratory Accreditation Program, PA DEP
Treatment that fits the local profile
Nitrate
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange; Distillation
Manganese
Oxidizing filter (greensand, birm) whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Point-of-use reverse osmosis
Systems we would look at first
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the merchant pays us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we list or what the data says.
For nitrate
Under-sink reverse osmosis system
under-sink or countertop, about $300
Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification listing the contaminant you need removed.
For nitrate
Aquasana SmartFlow reverse osmosis
under-sink or countertop, about $225
Certified to NSF/ANSI 58 and 53 to reduce arsenic (96%, pentavalent), fluoride (90%), lead (99%), nitrate, nitrite and PFOA/PFOS at the kitchen tap, with a remineralizer.
For manganese
Iron and manganese oxidizing filter
whole-house, at the point of entry, about $1,800
Air-injection or greensand media; fixes staining at the source.
Free, no obligation
Get on the list for a free in-home water test in Upper Mahanoy township
No water treatment company serves Upper Mahanoy township through Well Water Nerd yet. We are signing licensed companies on county by county: they test at your tap for free, walk you through the numbers, and quote treatment only if something needs fixing. Leave your details and you are first in line. Nothing is shared until a company joins for Upper Mahanoy township, and you get an email naming it first.
Common questions
Is there arsenic in well water in Upper Mahanoy township?
Arsenic was detected in 87% of 105 public well samples in Upper Mahanoy township, and 0% were above the EPA limit of 10 ug/L. Arsenic has no taste or smell; a lab test is the only way to know your level.
How often should I test a private well in Upper Mahanoy township?
Test for bacteria and nitrate every year. Test once for arsenic, uranium, radon, fluoride, manganese and PFAS, then again every three to five years or after any change in taste, color, or plumbing.
Towns near Upper Mahanoy township
Closest first. Groundwater does not stop at a line on a map, so the next town over is a fair second opinion.
Want the numbers themselves? Download the Pennsylvania dataset as CSV, every county and town, with the sources named.
Sources
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 1,150 samples in Upper Mahanoy township. Data from the Water Quality Portal, a service of USGS, EPA and USDA; groundwater samples collected by USGS and cooperators. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
Non-detects count as samples and are treated as zero when computing medians. Exactly at the limit counts as not above it. A sample belongs to the town containing the well's reported coordinates.