Ohio
Ohio sits in the Midwest and draws its water primarily from Lake Erie, Ohio River, and aquifers. With roughly 11.8 million residents, the state has minimal formal water reuse to date, reusing an estimated 3% of its treated wastewater.
Ohiowater quality & safety
Top violation drivers in Ohio
| Contaminant / rule | Systems |
|---|---|
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | 132 |
| TTHM | 65 |
| Groundwater Rule | 31 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | 24 |
| Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | 19 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 13 |
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1 · health-based violations since 2016
Lake Erie algal blooms, which once shut off Toledo's water, are a recurring quality threat.
On the U.S. Drought Monitor scale, Ohio currently tracks around no drought conditions. Ohio has 1,091 community water systems serving about 10 million people; EPA records show 269 of them (24.7%) with a health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016. The pages below break down the water issues that matter most here and the communities working on solutions.
Drought history — severe+ extent
% of Ohio in severe drought or worse (D2+) each late summer.
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC/UNL, USDA, NOAA) · latest 2026-06-09
Water use (USGS 2015)
- Per-capita (public supply)
- 134 gpcd
- Total withdrawals
- 6.5 Bgal/d
- From groundwater
- 13.3%
- Irrigation share
- 0.8%
- Wastewater reused (est.)
- ~3%
Primary water sources
- ≈ Lake Erie
- ≈ Ohio River
- ≈ aquifers
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Ohio?
Ohio has 1,091 community water systems serving about 10 million people. EPA records show 269 of them (24.7%) with at least one health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016, and 3 system(s) over the federal lead action level. Most large systems meet standards; check your specific city and your utility's annual report.
What contaminants are most common in Ohio's water?
The most frequent health-based violations involve LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS, TTHM, Groundwater Rule.
How much water does Ohio use per person?
Public water systems in Ohio withdraw about 134 gallons per person per day (USGS 2015), drawing 13.3% of fresh water from groundwater.
How bad is the drought in Ohio?
As of 2026-06-09, 0% of Ohio is in drought (D1+) and 0% is in severe drought or worse, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Cities in Ohio
15 trackedColumbus
Columbus, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Cleveland
Cleveland, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Toledo
Toledo, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Akron
Akron, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Dayton
Dayton, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Parma
Parma, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Canton
Canton, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Youngstown
Youngstown, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Lorain
Lorain, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Hamilton
Hamilton, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Springfield
Springfield, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Key issues in Ohio
Aging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
ExplorePFAS Contamination
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances persist in water supplies for decades. New federal limits are forcing utilities nationwide to invest in advanced treatment.
ExploreAlgal Blooms
Nutrient pollution and warming water are fueling toxic algae outbreaks that can shut down drinking-water intakes — as Toledo learned in 2014.
ExploreLead Contamination
Millions of lead service lines still connect homes to water mains. After Flint, a national push — backed by new EPA rules — aims to rip them all out.
Explore