Serving Upper Milford Township

Water Treatment and Plumbing Services in Upper Milford Township, PA

Upper Milford Township holds a distinction that most of its Lehigh County neighbors cannot claim: it is the oldest township in the county, first organized in 1739, and its character reflects that heritage in every direction. Covering 18 square miles in the southernmost portion of Lehigh County, the township encompasses the villages of Old Zionsville, Zionsville, Vera Cruz, Powder Valley, Shimerville, Corning, and Sigmund — each a small community with its own history stretching back to the earliest Pennsylvania Dutch settlers. The township’s terrain is shaped by South Mountain to the south and the Perkiomen Creek valley to the west, with Interstate 476 passing through the Vera Cruz corridor. History runs deep here: the Vera Cruz Jasper Quarry near Old Zionsville preserves one of the best-maintained prehistoric jasper mining sites in the mid-Atlantic, used by Lenape people for 10,000 years. Today the township retains that rural character — picturesque churches, barns, family farms, and woodlands — while benefiting from proximity to Emmaus and Macungie just to the north. The East Penn School District serves the community, with students attending Emmaus High School. Dierolf Plumbing and Water Treatment has served Lehigh County families since 2009, always starting with a free professional water test before recommending any treatment solution.

Unlike the more urbanized townships to its north, Upper Milford Township is predominantly a private well community. Most homes in the rural stretches of the township — in the Shimerville, Powder Valley, Old Zionsville, and Corning areas — rely on private on-lot wells and septic systems. The Lehigh County Authority serves only a handful of smaller developments in the township: the Mink Estates and Far View Farms area (72 properties), the Buss Acres, Deer Run, and Crest developments (101 properties), and some properties near the Emmaus border through the LCA Emmaus Consecutive Division (approximately 462 properties). For the majority of Upper Milford households on private wells, there is no utility monitoring water quality, no annual Consumer Confidence Report, and no regulated testing. The entire responsibility for testing and treating well water falls on the homeowner. The same carbonate limestone bedrock that underlies all of central Lehigh County produces hard, mineral-rich groundwater in Upper Milford Township wells. Hardness in the 12 to 18 GPG range is common throughout this geology, and at those levels, hard water causes real, measurable damage to water heaters, appliances, and plumbing over time. A properly sized water softener is the most effective long-term protection.

Iron and manganese are among the most commonly reported issues in Upper Milford Township well water. The township’s hilly terrain, red shale and limestone geology, and active agricultural land use create conditions where iron-bearing groundwater is the norm rather than the exception. Orange or rust-colored staining on fixtures, a metallic taste, and permanent laundry discoloration are the signs that many well owners in Shimerville, Powder Valley, and the rural stretches near the Berks County border simply accept as normal. Our iron filtration systems address this at the whole-house level. Where the Perkiomen Creek and its tributaries drain through the western portion of the township near agricultural fields, nitrate contamination from fertilizer runoff is also a documented concern. Pennsylvania DEP recommends annual testing for bacteria and nitrates for all private well owners, and our well systems services cover comprehensive testing, treatment design, and pump and pressure tank maintenance.

Bacterial contamination deserves particular attention for Upper Milford Township well owners. In a rural township where farms, fields, and older septic infrastructure surround most properties, bacteria from surface runoff can enter wells after heavy rain or spring snowmelt — especially in older or shallow wells. A UV disinfection system provides chemical-free whole-house bacterial protection without affecting water taste or chemistry. For well owners who want protection at the drinking water tap against nitrates, PFAS, and dissolved contaminants, a reverse osmosis system provides comprehensive filtration in a compact under-sink unit. Neighboring communities including Lower Milford Township, Upper Saucon Township, and Emmaus share similar groundwater characteristics, and Dierolf’s deep Lehigh County expertise applies to every Upper Milford home we serve. To understand what private well owners in this region commonly face, read our guide on maintaining your private Pennsylvania well.