Increasingly, communities are struggling to maintain supplies of water that are clean, healthy, and affordable. High water usage may make a region more vulnerable to future water shortages or droughts.

At a daily average of 100 gallons per capita, Lancaster County used slightly less water in 2023 than the statewide average of 104 gallons. Lancaster City reported significantly higher usage, at 151 gallons per resident per day -- the highest among the areas compared. The rate of water usage has not changed much since 2019.

Among surrounding counties, Lancaster used more water per capita than all others except Dauphin County, which also averaged 100 gallons per resident. Other counties reported lower usage: Berks (83), York (83), Chester (67), Cumberland (50), and Lebanon (27 gallons per resident, per day).

These figures represent daily average withdrawals of freshwater from public water supply sources--both groundwater and surface water. The values are reported in gallons per day per resident, and they include only reported withdrawals submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.