Erie County, Pennsylvania: Private Well Water Quality
USGS models estimate the private-well arsenic exposure across Erie County, and USGS laboratory samples from at least 38 wells in the county show measured nitrate, manganese, iron and pH. The arsenic figure is an area estimate; the measurements are of other wells — neither is a test of your own well.
Quick answer: Arsenic is the headline concern for Erie County well water: USGS modeling estimates about 5,863 residents on private wells with arsenic above the EPA limit of 10 µg/L. The most common measured contaminant in local wells is iron: 50% of 10 sampled wells were > 300 µg/L. These figures describe wells across the Pennsylvania county — not your tap — so the only way to know your own water is a certified lab test.
This is a modeled probability for the area, not a measurement of your well. USGS statistical models estimate how many private wells in this area are likely to exceed the federal limit — they cannot tell you what is in your water. Two neighbors can have very different results. The only way to know your well is to test it.
~5,863
people estimated to rely on private wells with modeled arsenic above the 10 µg/L EPA limit
3,835–8,777
90% confidence range for that estimate
50% of wells
sampled by USGS in the county measured > 300 µg/L for iron (10 wells)
Find out what's actually in your well
Erie County has one of the higher modeled arsenic exposures in the country — but that number is an area estimate, not your well. Arsenic, nitrate and coliform bacteria are the three most common private-well problems, and none of them has a taste or smell. A certified lab test checks all of them at once; the CDC and EPA recommend testing every well at least once a year.
Basic screening only. Confirm arsenic, nitrate and bacteria with a certified lab.
Find a certified drinking-water labAmazon links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Measured well tests in Erie County
Unlike the arsenic estimate above, these are real laboratory results: the USGS has published chemistry from at least 38 wells in Erie County, sampled 1989–2015. They describe other wells in the county — domestic, public-supply and monitoring wells — not your well.
| Parameter | Median | Wells over threshold | What the threshold means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate (as N)5 wells | 0 mg/L90th pct: 0 mg/L | 0%Low | > 10 mg/L (EPA MCL). Federal drinking-water limit. Nitrate from fertilizer, manure and septic systems; unsafe for infants and in pregnancy. |
| Manganese | Not enough USGS well samples in Erie County (fewer than 5) — see the state page. | ||
| Iron10 wells | 305 µg/L90th pct: 968 µg/L | 50%Elevated | > 300 µg/L (EPA secondary standard). Aesthetic standard — rust-colored staining, metallic taste, clogged fixtures. Not a health limit. |
| pH38 wells | 7.6 90th pct: 7.9 | 6%Low | outside 6.5–8.5 (EPA secondary range). Low pH is corrosive and leaches lead and copper from plumbing; high pH causes scale and bitter taste. |
What the samples show
- Nitrate (as N): Nitrate was low in nearly all sampled wells (median 0 mg/L; 0% over the limit).
- Manganese: Not enough USGS well samples in Erie County — see the state page.
- Iron: Iron is a common nuisance: 50% of sampled wells exceeded 300 µg/L (median 305 µg/L) — expect rust staining without treatment.
- pH: pH is in the normal range for most sampled wells (median 7.6).
What to do about the biggest finding (iron): Test for iron; an oxidizing iron filter or a softener stops the staining, and reverse osmosis polishes the drinking-water tap.
Source: USGS well samples aggregated to Erie County, Pennsylvania — manganese, pH and arsenic from USGS ScienceBase 5f36baa782cee144fb3873e8 (site medians, 1988–2019); nitrate and iron from McMahon et al. (2019), Environ. Sci. Technol. 53:29–38 (NWIS wells). County assignment by Census 2020 boundaries. Statistics shown only where ≥ 5 wells were sampled. USGS well samples; not a test of your well.
Arsenic in Erie County drinking water: what the estimate means
Arsenic occurs naturally in bedrock and can dissolve into groundwater, so it shows up in private wells with no color, taste or smell. The USGS estimate above combines a statistical model of arsenic probability with the number of people on domestic wells in Erie County. A higher number means more of your neighbors are likely drinking water over the federal limit — but your own well could be higher or lower. Long-term arsenic exposure is linked to skin, bladder and lung cancers, so the EPA sets the limit at 10 µg/L.
Because arsenic is tasteless and invisible, a certified lab test is the only way to detect it — and unlike bacteria, boiling does not remove arsenic (it slightly concentrates it as water evaporates). A lab reports total arsenic; if yours is elevated, reverse osmosis or an adsorptive arsenic filter reduces it, while carbon pitchers and water softeners do not.
Statewide, Pennsylvania also has a modeled nitrate exceedance of 3.9% of private-well residents — worth testing for at the same time.
What to do
- Test your well for arsenic, nitrate, manganese and iron — it's the only way to know your actual level.
- If arsenic or nitrate is present, install a reverse-osmosis system — carbon pitchers do not remove either.
- For manganese or iron staining, a whole-house oxidizing filter or softener is the fix; RO for the drinking tap.
- Re-test annually; well chemistry changes over time.
Erie County well water: frequently asked questions
Is there arsenic in Erie County drinking water?
Arsenic occurs naturally in the bedrock under Erie County, Pennsylvania, and dissolves into some private wells with no color, taste or smell. USGS modeling estimates about 5,863 residents (range 3,835–8,777) on private wells with arsenic above the EPA limit of 10 µg/L. These are area and other-well figures, not a test of your own well — the only way to know your arsenic level is a certified lab test of your tap.
Erie County, PA water contamination: what have well tests found?
USGS laboratory samples from at least 38 wells in Erie County (1989–2015) measured: nitrate 0% of 5 wells > 10 mg/L; iron 50% of 10 wells > 300 µg/L; pH 6% of 38 wells outside 6.5–8.5. The biggest measured issue is iron. These are tests of other wells in the county, not a public water system report — private wells are unregulated, so your own well needs its own lab test for arsenic, nitrate, manganese and iron.
How do I remove arsenic from Erie County well water?
Test first so you know your level and form of arsenic. If arsenic is present, a point-of-use reverse-osmosis system under the kitchen sink removes 90%+ of it; carbon pitchers and standard "filter" jugs do not remove arsenic or nitrate. Whole-house treatment (adsorptive arsenic media) is used when the level is high. Re-test after installing and then annually.
Iron: stop the staining at the source
Iron over 300 µg/L means rust stains and metallic taste house-wide. A whole-house iron filter or softener handles it; reverse osmosis polishes the drinking-water tap.
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