HARVEYS Lake Region (Northeast Pennsylvania)

Project Completed: Harveys Lake Drinking Water Sampling and Testing Outreach Program (2025)

In July 2025, the Harveys Lake Environmental Advisory Council facilitated a private well owner water sampling and testing program working with the Know Your H20 Program and the Keystone Clean Water Team. The Know Your H20 Program has been involved with the Well Water Testing Program at Harveys Lake since 2006. Since the start of the program, we have tested over 150 private wells in this region.

We have seen that this outreach program positively impacts the water quality of the private drinking water quality in the area. When the program first started, over 70% of the private well samples reported problems with the water that could have an adverse health impact. During the most recent water testing events, typically, less than 30% of the private wells have water quality conditions that could impact the user’s health. Therefore, the feedback from the program has resulted in individuals taking positive correction measures to improve their drinking water quality without the need to impose local agency or state regulations. Like many states, the quality of your private drinking water quality is up to the private well owner and their community. This year we offered the Private Well Owner Informational Water Testing Program and limited this assessment to the first 30 private well owners in the region.

The program offered two testing options:

Option 1:
Screening Assessment (Informational) – Presence Absence Total Coliform, E. coli., pH, conductivity, nitrate, nitrite, total dissolved solids (estimated), and turbidity.

Option 2:
Informational Water Testing – Presence/Absence Test for T. Coliform/E. coli. and Alkalinity (Total as CaCO₃), Chloride, Fluoride, Hardness, Nitrate as N, Nitrite-N, Orthophosphate, pH, Sulfate, Total Dissolved Solids, Turbidity, Metals including Aluminum, Arsenic, Barium, Copper, Iron, Lead, Magnesium, Manganese, Mercury, Nickel, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc, and more. This option includes a hardcopy of our educational booklet titled “Our Drinking Water” a $20.00 value.

Following the sample receipt, the samples were evaluated, and a custom report was generated for each homeowner. The report was sent via email, and a hard copy of the report was mailed to the private well owner. At no time will any individual reports be made available to the Harveys Lake Environmental Advisory Council, the public, or any other state or federal agency.

The water testing program offers informational water testing services. The informational water testing service is not intended to be used to meet any regulatory requirements or litigation purposes. Results are for informational and educational purposes only and are helpful in determining the general water quality and safety.

Not in the Harvey’s Lake area ? You can still test your well water from anywhere in the US. [Order a Basic Well Water Screening Test →]

Questions — contact bfenviro@ptd.net — Brian Oram