Reading Area Water Authority

Understanding Your Water Source

The water we consume comes from various sources including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over land surfaces or through soil, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and can pick up substances from animal presence or human activities. Potential contaminants in source water include:

• Microbial contaminants: Viruses and bacteria from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants: Salts and metals occurring naturally or resulting from urban runoff, industrial discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides: From agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses
• Organic chemical contaminants: Synthetic and volatile organic chemicals from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants: Naturally occurring or resulting from oil/gas production and mining

Reading's Water Supply

Reading Area Water Authority (RAWA) obtains water primarily from Lake Ontelaunee, located six miles north of Reading. This 1,082-acre manmade lake has a drainage watershed of approximately 216 square miles. RAWA maintains over 3,142 acres surrounding the lake, owned by the City of Reading. A protective 500-foot sanitary strip of land surrounds most of the lake to minimize shoreline contamination.

Water enters the lake primarily from Maiden Creek and its tributary Saucony Creek, along with several smaller streams. The dam on Route 73, built in 1926 and raised in 1935, creates an impoundment capacity of 3.88 billion gallons. Water flows by gravity from the lake to the Maiden Creek Filter Plant. RAWA can also draw water directly from Maiden Creek when necessary.

Water Safety Information

All water, including bottled water, may reasonably contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. EPA and DEP regulations limit contaminant levels in public water systems, while FDA and DEP establish similar protections for bottled water.

For information about contaminants and potential health effects, contact the Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Lead Awareness

If present, elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in water primarily comes from materials in service lines and home plumbing. Reading Area Water Authority provides quality water but cannot control plumbing component materials. To minimize potential lead exposure after water has been sitting for hours, flush your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. For concerns about lead, consider having your water tested. Information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Vulnerable Populations

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants than the general population. Immunocompromised individuals, including cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS or immune disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly susceptible to infections. These individuals should seek advice about drinking water from healthcare providers. Guidelines for reducing infection risk from Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline.

Source Water Protection

Reading Area Water Authority leads in protecting drinking water sources. Their watershed assessment identified potential contaminants including viruses, sediment, and algae growth, leading to a comprehensive Source Water Protection Plan approved by PA Department of Environmental Protection in 2007. RAWA received the national Exemplary Source Water Protection award from the American Water Works Association in 2013.

In 2016, RAWA updated its potential contaminants inventory and time-of-travel studies, followed by a 10-year update to their source water protection plan in 2017. Agricultural runoff continues to be the greatest potential contamination risk. RAWA continues water quality monitoring throughout the watershed and plants trees annually around the lake to maintain the watershed's natural condition and reduce siltation.

While RAWA actively protects water sources, their current treatment processes effectively convert raw lake water into finished water meeting all federal and state standards. Treatment includes flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection, with chemical additions sequenced to optimize water quality.

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