# Akron, OH — Drinking Water Quality (2024)

> Contaminant levels for the Akron, OH public water system from its 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/oh/akron/2024
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/oh/akron/2024
- Source: the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- Verification: transcribed by a model, cross-checked by a second model, approved before publishing
- Reporting year: 2024
- Contaminants measured: 25
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 13
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 1
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorine | Disinfectants | 1.02–1.68 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 4 mg/L (MRDLG) | Within the limit |
| Bromodichloromethane | Disinfection byproducts | 14.9 ug/L (Reported level) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Chlorite | Disinfection byproducts | 0.15–0.64 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 0.8 mg/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Chloroform | Disinfection byproducts | 20.1 ug/L (Reported level) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Dibromochloromethane | Disinfection byproducts | 6.8 ug/L (Reported level) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 30.9–55.1 ug/L (Range) | System-wide | 60 ug/L (MCL) | Approaching the limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 32.4–98.3 ug/L (Range) | System-wide | 80 ug/L (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.77–1.1 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 4 mg/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Nitrate | Inorganic chemicals | 0.33 mg/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 10 mg/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Antimony | Metals | 1.72 ug/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 6 ug/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Arsenic | Metals | 1.49 ug/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 0 ug/L (MCLG) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Barium | Metals | 0.026 mg/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 2 mg/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Copper | Metals | 0.001–0.006 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 1.3 mg/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Manganese | Metals | 0.008 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Nickel | Metals | 0.029 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Selenium | Metals | 3.17 ug/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 50 ug/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Alkalinity | Physical & aggregate | 84 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Hardness | Physical & aggregate | 118 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| pH | Physical & aggregate | 7.3 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Temperature | Physical & aggregate | 58 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| TOC | Physical & aggregate | 2.51 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Solids | Physical & aggregate | 311 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Turbidity | Physical & aggregate | 0.02–0.18 NTU (Range) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Combined Radium | Radionuclides | 0.0949 (Reported level) | System-wide | 0 (MCLG) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 1.32 (Reported level) | System-wide | 0 (MCLG) | Detected — no federal limit |

## What these contaminants are

- **Chlorine** — A disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. Effective and necessary, but high residual levels can cause taste and odor issues; the EPA caps the residual disinfectant level.
- **Bromodichloromethane** — A trihalomethane disinfection byproduct. Counted within regulated total trihalomethanes; long-term exposure is associated with cancer and reproductive effects.
- **Chloroform** — A trihalomethane formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water. A component of regulated total trihalomethanes; long-term exposure is linked to liver and kidney effects.
- **Dibromochloromethane** — A trihalomethane disinfection byproduct. Part of regulated total trihalomethanes; long-term exposure is linked to nervous-system, liver, and kidney effects.
- **HAA5** — Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is associated with an increased cancer risk.
- **TTHM** — Total trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is linked to liver, kidney, and central-nervous-system effects and increased cancer risk.
- **Fluoride** — A mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. Beneficial at low levels, but long-term exposure above the federal limit can cause bone disease and tooth mottling.
- **Nitrate** — A compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. Levels above the federal limit can cause 'blue baby syndrome,' a serious oxygen-transport condition in infants.
- **Arsenic** — A naturally occurring element that also enters water from industry and agriculture. A known human carcinogen; long-term exposure is linked to skin, bladder, and lung cancer.
- **Barium** — A metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can raise blood pressure.
- **Copper** — A metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. Short-term exposure causes stomach distress; long-term exposure can damage the liver and kidneys.
- **Manganese** — A naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. No enforceable federal limit; high levels stain fixtures and laundry and can affect taste, with a health advisory for infants.
- **Nickel** — A metal from natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure can cause skin and other effects; monitored under EPA rules.
- **Selenium** — A trace element from natural deposits and industrial discharge. Essential in tiny amounts, but long-term exposure above the federal limit can cause hair and fingernail loss and circulatory problems.
- **Alkalinity** — A measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. Not federally regulated for health; relevant to corrosion control and treatment.
- **Hardness** — A measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling, soap use, and taste.
- **pH** — A measure of how acidic or basic the water is. Regulated only as a secondary standard; very low or high pH can corrode pipes or affect taste.
- **Temperature** — The measured temperature of the water sample. Not regulated for health; warmer water can affect disinfection and microbial growth.
- **TOC** — Total organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. Not harmful itself, but it is the raw material that forms disinfection byproducts; removal is a treatment requirement.
- **Turbidity** — A measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. High turbidity can shelter microbes from disinfection; the EPA enforces it through a treatment-technique standard.
- **Combined Radium** — Combined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases the risk of bone cancer.
- **Gross Alpha** — Gross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases cancer risk.

## How to read this

- A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
- 'Federal limit' is the EPA standard (MCL, action level, treatment technique, etc.) that the measured level is compared against.
- 'At or above the federal limit' means the utility's own reported figure met or exceeded that standard.

_Figures are the utility's own published numbers. Generated 2026-05-25 from thewatermap.com._