Community
Waterways Impaired by Pollution

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Percent of Streams that are Impaired, 2022

What does this measure?

This indicator provides a percentage measure of miles of streams impaired by pollution for four different categories of use: drinking water supplies, fish consumption, recreation, and aquatic life.

Why is this important?

Clean water is important to the health of animals and people. This indicator allows for Pennsylvania to protect streams for drinking water supplies, fishing, recreation, and the aquatic life that call the waterways home.

How does our county compare?

In general, Lancaster has higher rates of stream pollution than the state as a whole and than most neighboring counties. In 2022, 70% of Lancaster's streams were pollution-impaired for aquatic life, 4.2% were pollution-impaired for fish consumption, 62% were pollution-impaired for recreation and 1% were pollution-impaired for water supply. This is significantly above state rates of 21% for aquatic life, 12% for recreation, and 0.1% for water supply, but below the 6% for fish consumption.

Lancaster has higher rates of pollution impairment for aquatic life and recreation activities than any of its neighboring comparison counties. However, Chester (18%) and Dauphin (5.3%) have higher pollution impairment related to fish consumption and Chester (1.2%) has higher impairment for water supplies.

Notes about the data

Waterbody assessment and data evaluation is a continuous process, so Integrated Reports are provided to EPA and the public every two years. Click on 2022 Integrated Report to learn more.

Percent of Streams that are Impaired, 2022
Aquatic LifeFish ConsumptionRecreationWater Supply
Pennsylvania20.9%6.0%12.2%0.1%
Lancaster County70.4%4.2%61.8%1.0%
Lebanon County57.2%0.0%43.4%0.7%
Dauphin County38.8%5.3%42.0%0.3%
York County24.6%0.1%42.0%0.3%
Chester County63.4%18.3%24.7%1.2%
Berks County23.4%2.1%54.1%0.1%

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Notes: Rate is percentage of impaired stream miles.




Miles of Impaired Streams, 2022
Aquatic LifeFish ConsumptionRecreationWater Supply
Pennsylvania17,8995,11310,41284
Lancaster County1,0126088814
Lebanon County31902424
Dauphin County421574563
York County41127035
Chester County89926035017
Berks County299276901

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection




INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Decreasing
College Graduation Rates Decreasing
Brain Drain/Gain Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Charitable Giving Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Age of Housing Stock Not Applicable
Violent Crime Rate Maintaining
Incarceration Rate Decreasing
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population Density Increasing
Air Quality Decreasing
Water Use Decreasing
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Not Applicable
Change in Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Not Applicable
Workers by Occupation Not Applicable
Change in Labor Force Maintaining
People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Since 2000 Increasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Employer Size Not Applicable
Change in Number of Businesses by Sector Increasing
Change in Total Agricultural Sales Increasing
Spending for Local Government Maintaining
Spending for School Districts Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Decreasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Maintaining
Working Poor Decreasing
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Decreasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Fatal Drug Overdoses Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Households With Internet Access Increasing
High-Tech Jobs Increasing
STEM Graduates Increasing
Science and Engineering Research and Development Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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