Lorain
Lorain, OH water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
elyria water department
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID OH4700411
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 63,647 residents, Lorain ranks as the 10th-largest city in Ohio and a small but growing city. Water in Lorain is sourced chiefly from Lake Erie, Ohio River, and aquifers, the backbone of Ohio's supply.
The defining water pressure here mirrors the state's: aging infrastructure. Lake Erie algal blooms, which once shut off Toledo's water, are a recurring quality threat.
Statewide, Ohio recycles about 3% of its wastewater with minimal reuse programs. Locally, Lorain faces no meaningful drought conditions.
The Ohio state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Lorain's water future.
Lorain County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~63,647 (10th-largest in Ohio)
- Primary sources: Lake Erie, Ohio River, and aquifers
- Drought: no meaningful conditions
- State reuse rate: ~3% of wastewater
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Lorain?
Lorain's largest water system, ELYRIA WATER DEPARTMENT, serves about 68,000 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Lorain get its water?
ELYRIA WATER DEPARTMENT draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Ohio's supply from Lake Erie, Ohio River, aquifers.
Related water issues
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