State Hub
Ohio Water Quality
698
Utilities in database
11.7M
Residents served
2
With open violations
328
PFAS monitored
Quick Answer
Ohio public drinking water is served by 698 EPA-tracked water systems, providing service to approximately 11.7 million residents through public utilities. 2 of those systems currently have open health-based violations on record in the EPA federal database. 328 systems have official PFAS monitoring records from the EPA UCMR 5 program (2023–2025). About 12% of OH residents use private wells, which fall outside federal utility compliance monitoring.
2 Ohio water systems have open health-based violations recorded in EPA SDWIS. An open violation means a contaminant exceeded a federal limit and the violation has not been formally resolved in the federal database. Check individual utility pages for current status.
Open Health-Based Violations in Ohio
Records sourced from EPA SDWIS. A record may be under review or resolved at the utility level but not yet updated in federal records. Water Utility Report does not determine whether water is safe to drink.
Drinking Water in Ohio
Ohio draws water from Lake Erie and inland rivers. Lead contamination in older housing stock — particularly in cities like Toledo and Cleveland — is a documented concern. Agricultural runoff contributes nitrate loading near Lake Erie. Several communities near industrial sites have documented PFAS detections. Ohio EPA holds primary enforcement authority.
Highest Risk Utilities
Ohio systems with open health-based violations in EPA records.
Safest Large Utilities
Ohio systems with no open health violations serving 10,000+ residents.
Utilities in Ohio
151–175 of 698Vermilion City
OH2201511 · 10,594 served
City of Cambridge
OH3000111 · 10,520 served
Galion City
OH1700211 · 10,453 served
City of Heath Pws
OH4500912 · 10,310 served
Buckeye Water District - Ohio River
OH1502911 · 10,300 served
London City Pws
OH4900712 · 10,256 served
Earnhart Hill Water District Pws
OH6500812 · 10,057 served
Trumbull Co. - Southeast Pws
OH7803203 · 9,931 served
Pataskala City
OH4502512 · 9,900 served
Little Hocking Water Association, Inc.
OH8400212 · 9,892 served
Wyoming City Pws
OH3102212 · 9,700 served
City of Jackson
OH4000111 · 9,691 served
Northwestern W and Sd - Oregon Wtln 200
OH8704203 · 9,629 served
Oakwood City Pws
OH5701915 · 9,572 served
Reading City Pws
OH3101812 · 9,506 served
Bellbrook Water Works
OH2901112 · 9,475 served
Shelby City
OH7004511 · 9,453 served
St Marys City
OH0600612 · 9,356 served
Canal Winchester City Pws
OH2500312 · 9,286 served
Twin City Water and Sewer District Pws
OH7901711 · 9,224 served
Louisville City Pws
OH7603012 · 9,186 served
Sheffield Lake City Pws
OH4701103 · 9,108 served
Trotwood City Pws
OH5702403 · 9,000 served
Chillicothe Correctional Institution
OH7101212 · 9,000 served
Wright State University
OH2902012 · 8,948 served
Key Contaminant Concerns in Ohio
These contaminants appear most frequently in Ohio utility records or pose elevated risk in this region based on EPA data.
PFAS
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of over 12,000 synthetic chemicals characterized by strong carbon-fluorine bonds that resist degradation. The two most studied — PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) — have been phased out of U.S. manufacturing but persist widely in the environment.
EPA limit: 4 ppt
Lead
Lead is a naturally occurring heavy metal that was widely used in plumbing infrastructure until it was banned for new installations in 1986. An estimated 9.2 million lead service lines still connect homes to public water mains across the United States, along with millions of homes with lead solder in their internal plumbing. Critically, a utility's water quality report can show zero detected lead at the treatment plant while your specific tap still delivers elevated lead — because the contamination happens inside the distribution system and your home's plumbing, not at the source.
EPA limit: 15 ppb (action level)
Nitrates
Nitrate (NO₃⁻) is a nitrogen-containing compound that forms naturally through the decomposition of organic matter. At elevated concentrations — almost always caused by human activity — nitrate is converted in the digestive system to nitrite, which then reacts with hemoglobin to form methemoglobin, a form of hemoglobin that cannot carry oxygen. In the body, nitrite also reacts with amines in food to form N-nitroso compounds (nitrosamines) — known carcinogens classified by the IARC as Group 2A (probable human carcinogens). The United States applies over 23 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer annually, making agricultural runoff the dominant source of nitrate contamination in U.S. groundwater.
EPA limit: 10 mg/L
DBPs
When utilities add chlorine to water to kill pathogens, it reacts with dissolved organic matter — leaves, algae, soil — to produce disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Over 600 DBPs have been identified. The EPA regulates two groups: total trihalomethanes (TTHMs, including chloroform) and haloacetic acids (HAA5). DBP levels tend to be highest in surface water systems and in warm months when organic matter is elevated.
EPA limit: 80 µg/L (TTHMs) / 60 µg/L (HAA5)
City Water Reports in Ohio
Tap water quality pages for Ohio cities — violations, PFAS records, utility profiles, and official source links.
Ohio PFAS Watchlist — all utilities with official recordsIndependent Water Testing
Find a certified lab in Ohio
Utility compliance records show what water systems report to the EPA. An independent test from a certified laboratory confirms what's actually in your tap water. Ohio labs can test for PFAS, lead, nitrates, bacteria, and dozens of other contaminants.
Explore Water Quality in Ohio
Vermilion City
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
City of Cambridge
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
Galion City
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
PFAS monitoring records — Ohio
328 water systems in Ohio with EPA UCMR 5 records
Active drinking water violations
2 open health-based violations on record — view official EPA SDWIS data
Lead in Ohio drinking water
State-specific lead data, violation utilities, and testing guidance
PFAS in Ohio drinking water
State-specific PFAS data, MCL context, and treatment options
Certified water testing labs in Ohio
Labs certified for PFAS (EPA 533/537.1), lead, and bacteria testing
Water treatment options
Reverse osmosis, activated carbon, and filtration guides with cost ranges
Data sources and methodology
How WaterUtilityReport.com sources and validates official EPA data
Common Questions About Ohio Drinking Water
Does Ohio drinking water have PFAS?
328 Ohio water systems have EPA UCMR 5 PFAS monitoring records (2023–2025)
Which Ohio water utilities have open violations?
2 systems have open health-based violations in EPA SDWIS — search for your utility
How do I test my water in Ohio?
State-certified labs for PFAS (EPA 533/537.1), lead, nitrate, and bacteria testing
What treatment removes PFAS from OH tap water?
Reverse osmosis removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, and nitrates — cost, maintenance, and NSF certification explained
What do Ohio PFAS records tell me about my water?
EPA limits, health context, and what UCMR 5 detection above MRL means for your water
How is Ohio water quality data sourced here?
EPA SDWIS violations, UCMR 5 PFAS records, and CCR data — sources, accuracy notes, and limitations
Ohio Water FAQs
Data sources: Utility compliance and violation data from EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System). PFAS monitoring records from EPA UCMR 5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5, 2023–2025). Contaminant data from EPA and ATSDR public references. This page summarizes public records — it is not a compliance determination. Methodology →
Last updated: 2025-01-10