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Tap water quality report

Columbus Public Water

EPA monitoring tested this supplier for 97 contaminants and detected 26. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — the level and EPA source for each is below.

97
contaminants tested
26
detected
1,305,946
people served
32
health-based violations
Ohio rankingsLead in OhioPFAS in Ohio
Water source
Surface water
Ownership
Local government
Counties served
Franklin

Compliance record

Formal violations the EPA has on file for this supplier. A health-based violation means a contaminant limit or a required treatment was breached; the rest are monitoring or reporting failures — still violations, but not a measured health risk.

32
health-based violations
33
violations on file
0
still open
ViolationTypeStatusPeriod
MCL Health-based Resolved 2016-06-01 → 2016-06-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2016-06-01 → 2016-06-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2016-06-01 → 2016-06-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2016-06-01 → 2016-06-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2015-06-01 → 2015-06-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2015-06-01 → 2015-06-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2015-06-01 → 2015-06-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2015-06-01 → 2015-06-30
TT Health-based Resolved 2007-03-01 → 2007-03-31
TT Health-based Resolved 2007-03-01 → 2007-03-31

PFAS detected

PFAS are industrial “forever chemicals”. These are the EPA's latest nationwide test results (2023–2025).
ContaminantMaxDetection ratePeriod
Pfba 0.0170 µg/L 4/10 2024
Pfhxa 0.0182 µg/L 3/10 2024
Pfpea 0.0142 µg/L 3/10 2024
PFBS 0.0111 µg/L 1/10 2024
Pfhpa 0.0043 µg/L 1/10 2024
PFOA 0.0053 µg/L 1/10 2024

Other contaminants detected

Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of this system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Where a single sample came in higher than that percentile, it is noted under the bar. Formal violations are listed separately.
ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitDetection rateSourcePeriod
Bromodichloromethane
15.5 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 21.5 µg/L
516/516 SYR4 2012–2019
Chloroform
57.475 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 85 µg/L
516/516 SYR4 2012–2019
Dibromochloromethane
9.9 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 13.5 µg/L
516/516 SYR4 2012–2019
Dichloroacetic Acid
26.9 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 37.6 µg/L
512/512 SYR4 2012–2019
TTHM
77.305 µg/L 97%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
worst single sample: 111 µg/L
512/512 SYR4 2012–2019
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
49.045 µg/L 82%
of the EPA limit 60 µg/L
worst single sample: 65.2 µg/L
512/512 SYR4 2012–2019
Monochloroacetic Acid
8.36 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 21.7 µg/L
492/512 SYR4 2012–2019
Trichloroacetic Acid
20.8 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 25.6 µg/L
486/512 SYR4 2012–2019
Nitrate
10600 µg/L 106%
of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10000 µg/L
worst single sample: 12500 µg/L
390/464 SYR4 2012–2019
Bromoform
4 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 9.1 µg/L
364/516 SYR4 2012–2019
Nitrate-Nitrite
10600 µg/L 106%
of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10000 µg/L
worst single sample: 12500 µg/L
195/232 SYR4 2012–2019
Dibromoacetic Acid
3.54 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 4.7 µg/L
187/512 SYR4 2012–2019
Copper
79 µg/L 6.1%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
worst single sample: 196.6 µg/L
101/101 SYR4 2014–2017
Atrazine
1.35 µg/L 45%
of the EPA limit 3 µg/L
worst single sample: 2.8 µg/L
21/57 SYR4 2012–2019
Lead
0.0012 mg/L 8%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 20/20 LCR 2023
Fluoride
1010 µg/L 25%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 18/18 SYR4 2012–2019
Simazine
0.3020 µg/L 7.6%
of the EPA limit 4 µg/L
worst single sample: 0.3900 µg/L
17/57 SYR4 2012–2019
Barium
16.5 µg/L 0.8%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
worst single sample: 17 µg/L
11/18 SYR4 2012–2019
Lead
3.155 µg/L 21%
of the EPA limit 15 µg/L
worst single sample: 3.4 µg/L
8/101 SYR4 2014–2017
Lasso
0.3675 µg/L 18%
of the EPA limit 2 µg/L
worst single sample: 0.3700 µg/L
6/57 SYR4 2012–2019
71 contaminants tested, none detected
1,1,1-Trichloroethane1,1,2-Trichloroethane1,1-Dichloroethylene1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene1,2-Dichloroethane1,2-Dichloropropane11Cl-PF3OUdS2,4-D4:2 Fts6:2 Fts8:2 Fts9Cl-PF3ONSAdonaAntimony, TotalArsenicBhc-GammaBenzeneBenzo(A)PyreneBeryllium, TotalBromateChlorobenzeneCyanideCadmiumCarbofuranCarbon TetrachlorideChromiumDichloromethaneDi(2-ethylhexyl) AdipateDi(2-ethylhexyl) PhthalateDiquatEndothallEthylbenzeneGlyphosateHfpo-DaMercuryMethoxychlorMonobromoacetic AcidNetfosaaNfdhaNmefosaaNitriteOxamylPfdaPfdoaPfeesaPfhpsPFHXSPfmbaPfmpaPFNAPFOSPfpesPftaPftrdaPfunaPentachlorophenolPicloramSeleniumStyreneTetrachloroethyleneThallium, TotalTolueneTotal Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)TrichloroethyleneVinyl ChlorideXylenes, Totalcis-1,2-DichloroethyleneLithiumO-DichlorobenzeneP-Dichlorobenzenetrans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

Utility contact

Contact
NEWSOME, JOHN G
Phone
614-645-8460
Email
[email protected]

Frequently asked questions about Columbus Public Water

Is Columbus Public Water tap water safe to drink?

EPA monitoring detected 26 contaminants in Columbus Public Water's water. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most levels are within federal limits. See each level and source above, and the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for its official compliance status.

What contaminants were detected in Columbus Public Water's water?

EPA monitoring detected Bromodichloromethane, Chloroform, Dibromochloromethane, Dichloroacetic Acid, TTHM, and others. The full list with the level and data source for each is above.

How many people does Columbus Public Water serve?

Columbus Public Water reports serving 1,305,946 people in Ohio, per its EPA record.

Has Columbus Public Water had any water quality violations?

The EPA has 33 violations on file for Columbus Public Water, of which 32 are health-based (a contaminant limit or required treatment was breached) and 0 remain open. The rest are monitoring or reporting failures.

Where does this data come from?

Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.