Akron City Public Water System
EPA ID: OH7700011 · 280,000 people served · 35 ZIP codes
EPA compliance records for Akron City Public Water System show 4 unresolved violations — findings that remain open and are tracked at the federal level, covering a service territory of approximately 280,000 people.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 3 (2022) to 40 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Akron City Public Water System Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Akron City Public Water System serves a community with a median household income of $64,542 and an estimated 582,285 residents across its service area. Approximately 73% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 34% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. 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?
Akron City 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.
About 1% of homes in Summit County, Ohio rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Akron City Public Water System compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.08 mg/L. Bladder & rectal cancer risk; reproductive concerns. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Surface Water Treatment Rule at 4 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 58 detections recorded. 26 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) was detected in this water system. granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →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
AKRON CITY PWS (EPA ID: OH7700011) is a community water system in Ohio that serves approximately 280,000 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 35 ZIP codes across 15 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (59/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Health-based | Unresolved |
| December 5, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| November 26, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 4 | No |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 1 | Yes |
Health Risk Details
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) (EPA limit: 0.08 mg/L)
Bladder & rectal cancer risk; reproductive concerns At-risk groups: pregnant women, long-term consumers of chlorinated water, people who frequently shower in chlorinated water.
Removal methods: granular activated carbon (GAC), carbon block filter, point-of-entry aeration. Find the right filter →
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44260 | 0.007 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44240 | 0.00267 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44242 | 0.00267 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44301 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44302 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44303 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44304 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44305 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44306 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44307 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44308 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44310 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44311 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44312 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44313 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44314 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44319 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44320 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44321 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 44325 | 0.0019 mg/L | No | N/A |
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 32 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 3 additional ZIPs inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
This system serves 35 ZIP codes:
44056 · 44203 · 44211 · 44221 · 44223 44224 · 44236 · 44240 · 44242 · 44243 44260 · 44262 · 44264 · 44266 · 44278 44281 · 44286 · 44301 · 44302 · 44303 44304 · 44305 · 44306 · 44307 · 44308 44310 · 44311 · 44312 · 44313 · 44314 44319 · 44320 · 44321 · 44325 · 44333
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Akron City Public Water System (OH7700011) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Akron City Public Water System water safe to drink?
Akron City Public Water System has recorded 1 health-based violation in the past 5 years. While the system is required to treat water to meet federal standards, you may want to consider additional precautions such as a certified water filter.
How many people does Akron City Public Water System serve?
Akron City Public Water System serves approximately 280,000 people across 35 ZIP codes in Ohio.
Where does Akron City Public Water System get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from Akron Water Supply Bureau Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: Akron Water Supply Bureau Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
An assessment of our source water susceptibility to contamination was completed by Ohio in 2003, and determined that our source water has a moderate susceptibility.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Akron Water Supply Bureau Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.
Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
Akron Water has been proactively replacing the city-owned portion of Lead service lines for over 60 years. In fact, we will finish this monumental task by the end of 2025 and we believe that will make Akron Water the largest water system in Ohio to be 'lead free'. There are no Lead service lines on the private portion owned by the homeowner in Akron.
Lead Service Line Replacement Tracker
This water utility's lead service line (LSL) replacement program is tracked from public Consumer Confidence Report filings. Email signup notifies subscribers when the utility files an updated replacement plan or progress milestone.
Akron Water Supply Bureau
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. LSL replacement-program data is sourced from public CCR filings published by the utility. Subscription notifications are based on automated parsing of subsequent CCR releases.
Learn more about Lead and Copper Rule replacement requirements →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.
Aesthetic water quality
These measurements describe the look, taste, and feel of the water this utility delivers. They are not contaminant violations — they sit alongside federal Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs) which the EPA publishes as non-enforceable guidance.
Aesthetic measurements from Akron Water Supply Bureau Consumer Confidence Report.
Aesthetic measurements are reported by the utility from its annual sampling. EPA Secondary MCLs are advisory thresholds — values outside them indicate aesthetic concerns such as taste or appearance, not health violations. Federal contaminant testing is shown in the sections above.
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.
- #42 / 100 Highest Exposure Burden (U.S.)
- #9 / 10 Most Unresolved Health Violations (Ohio)
- #19 / 50 Most Disadvantaged Populations Served (Ohio)
- #1 / 50 Highest Exposure Burden (Ohio)
Frequently Asked Questions
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
Akron City Public Water System (EPA ID: OH7700011) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.