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Not health advice. Contact your local water utility for concerns.
Data from EPA Water Quality Reports. For official information, contact your water utility or health department.
EPA SDWIS/ECHO 2026Q2 · UCMR5 (2023–2026, July 2026 release) · SYR4 six-year review 2012–2019 · Methodology
Grade C — based on EPA compliance records, lead testing and PFAS monitoring
COLUMBUS PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM has a mixed record — read the reasons below; the deductions come from real EPA violations, lead results or PFAS detections, not from a template.
Columbus, OH tap water is legal to drink but grades C on EPA's records, mainly because of PFOA or PFOS measured at or above the 4 ppt federal limit in 2023–2025 EPA sampling and nitrate averaging 2.6 mg/l against a 10 mg/l limit in 2012–2019 samples (12 over the limit). A certified filter matched to those findings is a reasonable precaution.
Columbus, OH tap water is legal to drink but grades C on EPA's records, mainly because of PFOA or PFOS measured at or above the 4 ppt federal limit in 2023–2025 EPA sampling and nitrate averaging 2.6 mg/l against a 10 mg/l limit in 2012–2019 samples (12 over the limit). A certified filter matched to those findings is a reasonable precaution.
COLUMBUS PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2021-01-01 to 2023-12-31) was 1.2 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
Yes. EPA's UCMR5 sampling (2024-02-13 to 2024-11-20) detected PFBA, PFBS, PFHpA, PFHxA, PFOA, PFPeA, with PFOA or PFOS at or above the 4 ppt federal MCL. Reverse osmosis and certified activated-carbon filters reduce PFAS.
COLUMBUS PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM has 1 violation on file since 2016: 0 health-based in the last five years and 0 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
COLUMBUS PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 1,305,946 people (EPA PWSID OH2504412).
We recommend one. Reverse osmosis or a PFAS-certified carbon filter addresses the PFAS result.
PFOA or PFOS was measured at or above EPA's 4 ppt limit in Columbus's UCMR5 sampling.
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