Drinking Water

Penn Township residents and businesses receive water from several sources. Customers served by public water are serviced by the following agencies; the Northwestern Lancaster County Authority (NWLCA) and Manheim Area Sewer & Water Authority (MAWSA). Generally speaking, only the areas to the east and south of Manheim Borough are served with public water. The NWLCA serves the eastern area, with MAWSA in the south. Rural residents and businesses are serviced by private wells.

The NWLCA’s Water Treatment Plant located at 306 Doe Run Road (shown on right) is a testament to the investment that has been made in establishing a reliable source of drinking water for decades to come. Completed and activated in late 2012, the state-of-the-art facility utilizes microfiltration and nitrate removal capabilities resulting in clean water for its customers. With an additional permitted well on site, the plant’s design offers expandability for future demand increases. Additionally, the treatment technology exceeds today’s regulatory standards – giving us some breathing room if those regulations tighten down the road.

Surrounding the building are the elements of the Sustainability Site. More details on this exciting and functional demonstration project are available on our Water Quality Enhancement Projects page. Stop by to visit, use the walking trail, and maybe learn a few things from the interpretive signage along the route.

Click to access the Annual Water Quality Reports for the drinking water system. See the NWLCA water service map here.

DEP has provided several resources for those serviced by private wells. For more information, click here or visit https://www.dep.pa.gov/Citizens/My-Water/PrivateWells/Pages/default.aspx.
Disinfection of Home Wells and Springs

Source Water Protection Plan

In early 2015, the NWLCA finalized its Source Water Protection Plan (SWPP), which sets forth practical ways to protect the community’s public water supply. NWLCA partnered with MAWSA to prepare a joint plan through the state-funded Source Water Protection Technical Assistance Program (SWPTAP). Because the two systems essentially share an underground aquifer, working together to create and implement the plan makes the most sense for our region.

The Executive Summary of the SWPP is available on the right, along with a map of Source Water Protection Zones II and III. Zone II is the “Capture Zone”, which represents the areas of water that contribute to the public water supply wells in 10 years or less. Zone III is the “Zone of Contribution”, which is the portion of the watershed that can contribute water to the Capture Zone.

Source Water Protection Plan

The Source Water Protection Zones