01The verdict: is Lancaster water safe?
Lancaster's tap water meets most EPA standards but has areas that warrant attention. With a grade of A- (89/100), some contaminant levels or compliance issues suggest that residents may benefit from additional filtration. The city's 1 water system serves approximately 2,450 residents using surface water (rivers, lakes, or reservoirs).
1 unresolved violation on record
EPA records show an open compliance item for this system. Most are administrative, but unresolved items are worth watching.
See what was cited ↓Monitoring is on schedule
The system is meeting its EPA monitoring and reporting requirements — testing is happening when it should.
See the score ↓Limited testing data
Fewer recent samples are on file for this system than we'd like — the grade leans on the data available.
How we grade ↓Lancaster's drinking water received a grade of A- (89 out of 100), indicating good water quality. The city's 1 water system serves approximately 2,450 residents using surface water.
Lead data is not currently available for this system. This system has not yet been tested for PFAS under the EPA UCMR 5 program. The system has 44 violations on record, including 7 health-based violations. 1 remains unresolved.
Lancaster ranks #9 out of 98 cities in New Hampshire for water quality, placing it one of the best in the state. The city draws from surface water sources, which are more susceptible to seasonal runoff and agricultural contamination, requiring extensive multi-barrier treatment including coagulation, filtration, and disinfection. As a small community water system, Lancaster may have fewer resources for advanced treatment technologies and infrastructure upgrades compared to larger utilities.
02What's in Lancaster's water
Every contaminant flagged in Lancaster, on one shared scale: distance to its own legal limit. The red line is the limit — anything past it is out of compliance, and the closer a bar gets, the less headroom the system has.
No contaminants were measured above screening thresholds in the most recent EPA sampling data for this system. The full testing table below lists everything checked.
Full contaminants report
No contaminant data available for this city.
Cities ranked by 90th-percentile lead PF PFAS in New Hampshire
Cities ranked by compounds detected Cu Copper in New Hampshire
Cities ranked by 90th-percentile copper
03Lancaster's ten-year track record
Each box is one year. A green check means no EPA violations; a numbered badge counts that year's violations — red if any were health-based, amber if they were monitoring or paperwork issues. The system has 44 violations on record, including 7 health-based violations. 1 remains unresolved.
8 of the last ten years were clean. The numbered years had EPA violations — red when any were health-based, amber when they were paperwork or missed-testing issues.
04Where Lancaster's water comes from
Lancaster's drinking water comes primarily from surface water sources such as rivers, lakes, or reservoirs.
Surface Water
Rivers, lakes, or reservoirs — more exposed to runoff, agriculture, and seasonal swings than groundwater.
Local treatment
Multi-barrier treatment: coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to meet EPA standards.
1 system
1 water system, operated under local government ownership.
2,450 people
Residents served across Lancaster's service area.
Surface water systems require multi-stage treatment including coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to meet EPA Safe Drinking Water Act standards. These sources can be impacted by seasonal changes, stormwater runoff, upstream agriculture, and industrial discharge. The system is operated by local government ownership and serves approximately 2,450 people through 1 water system.
| System name | PWSID | Population | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| LANCASTER WATER DEPT | NH1291010 | 2,450 | Surface Water |
Water bodies near Lancaster
As a surface-water system, these water bodies may directly influence Lancaster's drinking water supply.
05Pressure on Lancaster's watershed
Outside forces that shape what reaches the treatment plant. None of these is a verdict on the tap by itself — but each adds pressure worth knowing about.
Industrial discharge
1 facility within 10 miles reported 0 lb released to surface water in the latest EPA Toxics Release Inventory. Proximity doesn't equal tap contamination — treatment and hydrology decide — but it's pressure on the watershed.
06How Lancaster compares
Scores for nearby New Hampshire cities on one line, with the average marked.
dashed line = New Hampshire average (66/100)
Lancaster scores 89/100 — above the New Hampshire average of 66/100. It outscores 9 of 10 nearby cities. Full New Hampshire rankings →
50.9 / 100ANashua, NH
88.7 / 100DConcord, NH
51.3 / 100BPortsmouth, NH
80.7 / 100AKeene, NH
89.2 / 100BDover, NH
84 / 100
Compare all cities in the county — grades, violations, and contaminant data side by side.→
07What to do at home
Steps matched to what testing actually found in Lancaster's water — not generic advice.
A basic carbon filter still helps
Lancaster's water meets federal standards, but a simple carbon filter improves taste and adds a margin of safety against short-term issues.
Compare tested filters →Read your utility's annual report
Every utility must publish a yearly Consumer Confidence Report with its own testing results. It pairs well with the independent data on this page.
How to read a CCR →Watch for Lancaster alerts
We refresh EPA data monthly and surface new violations, advisories, and boil-water notices for your county on this page.
All water alerts →Frequently asked questions
Is Lancaster, NH tap water safe to drink?
Lancaster's water quality earned a grade of A- (89/100). The water generally meets EPA standards and is considered safe for consumption. The city ranks #9 out of 98 cities tested in New Hampshire.
What contaminants are in Lancaster's water?
44 violations are on record.
How is Lancaster's water quality grade calculated?
The grade is based on four factors: violation history (40%), lead and copper levels (25%), PFAS contamination (25%), and regulatory compliance (10%). The score is also adjusted based on how complete the available data is. See our methodology page for full details.
Do I need a water filter in Lancaster?
Based on current data, basic filtration should suffice for additional peace of mind.
Where does Lancaster's water come from?
Lancaster's water is sourced from Surface water. The city has 1 water system serving approximately 2,450 residents.
What health violations has Lancaster's water system had?
Lancaster has 7 health-based violations on record. The most recent violation was recorded in July 2018. Health-based violations mean the water exceeded EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for a regulated substance. 1 violation remains unresolved.
How does Lancaster's water compare to other cities?
Lancaster ranks #9 out of 98 cities in New Hampshire (better than 91% of state cities) and #3094 out of 15382 cities nationally (80th percentile). The grade of A- reflects the combined assessment of violation history, lead and copper levels, PFAS contamination, and regulatory compliance.
Does Lancaster's small water system affect quality?
Lancaster's system serves approximately 2,450 residents. Small community water systems (under 3,300 people) may have fewer financial resources for infrastructure upgrades and advanced treatment technologies. However, they are held to the same EPA drinking water standards as larger systems. This system has 44 violations on record.