Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Cleveland, OH tap water
53 contaminants were measured in the Cleveland, OH water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 53
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Service area
- OH
state-level CCR
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Cleveland, OH's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 4 sources.
Source
4surface water
- IN FROM CLEVELAND CITY BALDWIN
- IN FROM CLEVELAND CITY CROWN
- IN FROM CLEVELAND CITY MORGAN
- IN FROM CLEVELAND CITY NOTTINGHAM
Treatment
4treatment plants
- CLEVELAND BALDWIN WTP
- CLEVELAND CROWN WTP
- CLEVELAND NOTTINGHAM WTP
- + 1 more
Distribution
25storage units
Source: EPA SDWIS facilities inventory. Methodology.
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
16 historically-detected contaminants in Cleveland, OH
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
TTHM worst: 2012 | 0.0752 mg/L 94% | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
HAA5 worst: 2015 | 0.0553 mg/L 92% | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2016 | 1.38 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2013 | 1.34 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2013 | 1.34 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15 |
COPPER worst: 2012 | 0.276 mg/L below national p90 | — | '12'15'18'19 |
DBAA worst: 2012 | 0.0025 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
LEAD worst: 2012 | 0.0272 mg/L | — | '12'15'18'19 |
DCAA worst: 2012 | 0.0248 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
MBAA worst: 2012 | 0.0148 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
MCAA worst: 2013 | 0.0045 mg/L | — | '13'16'19 |
TCAA worst: 2012 | 0.0239 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0212 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMOFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0008 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0498 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0079 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
PWSID OH1801212 · Source: EPA Six-Year Review 4 (2012–2019). Values are the highest detection in each calendar year; non-detect years are omitted. Year tags above show every year with a detection.
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Dissolved SolidsTotal dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. | 180Reported levelCleveland Water | 500MCL | Within the limit |
| AlkalinityA measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. | 82Reported levelCleveland Water | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| HardnessA measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. | 105–117Reported levelCleveland Water | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| pHA measure of how acidic or basic the water is. | 7–7.3Reported levelCleveland Water | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 1.41–1.87RangeSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.02–0.15 NTURangeSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 0.94–1.26 mg/LRangeSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMRDLG | Within the limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 0.801 pCi/LReported levelCleveland Water | 5 pCi/LMCL | Within the limit |
| Gross AlphaGross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. | 1.05 pCi/LReported levelCleveland Water | 15 pCi/LMCL | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AluminumA common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.05MCL | None detected |
| Antimony | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.006MCL | None detected |
| ArsenicA naturally occurring element that also enters water from industry and agriculture. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.01MCL | None detected |
| BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 2MCL | None detected |
| Beryllium | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.004MCL | None detected |
| Cadmium | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.005MCL | None detected |
| Chromium, TotalTotal chromium — the sum of all chromium forms, from natural deposits and industrial discharge. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.1MCL | None detected |
| IronA naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | None set | None detected |
| ManganeseA naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.05MCL | None detected |
| MercuryA toxic metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial runoff. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.002MCL | None detected |
| NickelA metal from natural deposits and industrial discharge. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | None set | None detected |
| SeleniumA trace element from natural deposits and industrial discharge. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.05MCL | None detected |
| Thallium | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.002MCL | None detected |
| ZincA naturally occurring metal that can also enter water from corroding pipes. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 5MCL | None detected |
| CalciumA naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. | 16Reported levelCleveland Water | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| MagnesiumA naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. | 7.6Reported levelCleveland Water | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| SilicaA naturally occurring compound from sand and rock. | 1.8Reported levelCleveland Water | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 10Reported levelCleveland Water | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 0Reported levelCleveland Water | None set | None detected |
VOCs & pesticides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,2,3-TCP | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | None set | None detected |
| AtrazineA widely used agricultural herbicide that reaches water through runoff. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.003MCL | None detected |
| Benzene | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.005MCL | None detected |
| ChloroethaneA volatile organic compound used in some industrial processes. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | None set | None detected |
| Chloromethane | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | None set | None detected |
| Dichlorodifluoromethane | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | None set | None detected |
| Dichloromethane | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.005MCL | None detected |
| Ethylbenzene | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.7MCL | None detected |
| Simazine | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.004MCL | None detected |
| TetrachloroethyleneAn industrial solvent (PCE) used in dry cleaning and degreasing. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.005MCL | None detected |
| Toluene | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 1MCL | None detected |
| TrichloroethyleneAn industrial solvent (TCE) used in metal degreasing. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 0.005MCL | None detected |
| XylenesA group of industrial solvents found in gasoline and paint. | Not detectedReported levelCleveland Water | 10MCL | None detected |
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFBAPerfluorobutanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 2.3 ng/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Source: Cleveland, OH's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. utility is required to publish. The numbers on this page are the utility's own. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
People also ask about Cleveland, OH's water
+Is Cleveland, OH tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 53 contaminants measured in Cleveland, OH's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Cleveland, OH tap water?
53 contaminants were measured in Cleveland, OH's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, vocs & pesticides, and physical & aggregate. 33 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Cleveland, OH's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Cleveland, OH's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.