Columbus Public Water System
EPA ID: OH2504412 · 1,305,946 people served · 55 ZIP codes
ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Columbus Public Water System (OH2504412): no drinking-water violations recorded since 2021. Within the EPA records available for it, Columbus Public Water System shows no violations; the system serves about 1,305,946 people.
Data: EPA SDWIS
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Columbus Public Water System Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary - average Home Safety grade of mapped ZIPs: D
Demographics of ZIP Codes Served
The ZIP codes associated with Columbus Public Water System have a median household income of $77,090 and about 1,671,805 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 57% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: On average, 34% of census tracts in the counties mapped to this service area are designated disadvantaged by the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST, 2022 version). Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Columbus Public Water System's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.
Infrastructure Risk
PFAS in ZIP Codes This System Serves
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been reported in samples from water systems associated with the ZIP codes in this system's area. These results can come from other water systems serving the same ZIP codes; check the UCMR5 section for any results reported for this system. 317 detections recorded. 53 detections are above the level of a federal PFAS MCL (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS), with compliance required from 2029.
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Ohio
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.
System Overview
Columbus Public Water System (EPA ID: OH2504412) is a community water system in Ohio that serves approximately 1,305,946 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 55 ZIP codes across 23 communities.
ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: D (40/100)
This is the average Home Safety Score for 44 of 55 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.
Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.
Violation History
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:
| Lead Level | Exceeds Action Level | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0012 mg/L | No | 2023-12-31 |
No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.
Radon Risk in Service Area
55 of 55 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 1.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by OH or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.
This system serves 55 ZIP codes:
43002 · 43004 · 43015 · 43016 · 43017 43026 · 43031 · 43035 · 43054 · 43062 43064 · 43065 · 43068 · 43081 · 43082 43085 · 43103 · 43109 · 43110 · 43119 43123 · 43125 · 43137 · 43146 · 43147 43201 · 43202 · 43203 · 43204 · 43205 43206 · 43207 · 43209 · 43210 · 43211 43212 · 43213 · 43214 · 43215 · 43217 43218 · 43219 · 43220 · 43221 · 43222 43223 · 43224 · 43227 · 43228 · 43229 43230 · 43231 · 43232 · 43235 · 43240
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for Columbus Public Water System (OH2504412) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Columbus Public Water System water safe to drink?
The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Columbus Public Water System in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.
How many people does Columbus Public Water System serve?
Columbus Public Water System serves approximately 1,305,946 people across 55 ZIP codes in Ohio.
Where does Columbus Public Water System get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Sample Above an EPA MCL Value or State Standard
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). One or more PFAS measurements were above the level of the EPA MCL for that compound (April 2024 rule, which takes effect in 2029) or above an applicable state drinking-water standard; a monitoring result above that level is not by itself a violation.
EPA's April 2024 PFAS rule sets MCLs of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX); water systems must comply from 2029. Other PFAS compounds have no individual federal MCL. A state standard is shown only where this system's state has its own enforceable PFAS limit. Detection results are EPA UCMR5 samples, not a measurement at your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
How Water Systems Appear in Rankings
Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to cite this page
ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Columbus Public Water System, OH: Serves 1.3M People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/oh2504412/
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-oh2504412,
author = {{ZipCheckup}},
title = {{Columbus Public Water System, OH: Serves 1.3M People}},
year = {n.d.},
url = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/oh2504412/}
}
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
Columbus Public Water System (EPA ID: OH2504412) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.