HAA5 Contamination

HAA5 in Ohio Drinking Water

Ranked by average HAA5 concentration (µg/L) · UCMR 4 data (2018–2020) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

149

Cities Tested

Exceeds Limit

% Exceeds Limit

14.7 µg/L

State Avg

▼ 1% vs national

vs National

398

Health Violations

Analysis

HAA5 in Ohio: what the data shows

Ohio has 149 cities with HAA5 monitoring data from the EPA's UCMR 4 program (2018–2020). Haloacetic acids (HAA5) form when chlorine-based disinfectants react with natural organic matter in water. The state average is 14.7 µg/L — better than the 15.5 µg/L national average. No cities currently exceed the 60 µg/L EPA MCL. HAA5 is a group of five chlorinated and brominated acetic acids. Long-term exposure above the MCL is associated with increased cancer risk and adverse reproductive outcomes. The EPA classifies total HAA5 as a probable human carcinogen at elevated concentrations. Activated carbon filtration (especially granular or block carbon) is effective at reducing HAA5. Running water through a refrigerator filter or letting it sit in an open pitcher for 30 minutes also helps, as some HAA5 species are volatile. Boiling does not remove disinfection byproducts and may concentrate them.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 60 µg/L EPA MCL

Ohio

0 of 149 cities

← ▼ 1% below national rate (better)

National avg

23 of 4420 cities

City Map

HAA5 data across Ohio

Each dot is a city with UCMR 4 HAA5 testing data. Cities where average HAA5 exceeded the 60 µg/L EPA MCL are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by haa5 level in Ohio

Highest HAA5 levels (µg/L)

All Cities

All Ohio cities ranked by haa5 level

#	City	Level	Exceeds?	Violations	Grade
1	Ravenna	47.0 µg/L	No	3	C
2	Tallmadge	46.2 µg/L	No	1	B
3	Jefferson	43.8 µg/L	No	1	B
4	Ashtabula	43.2 µg/L	No	3	B+
5	Kent	43.1 µg/L	No	36	F
6	Archbold	40.1 µg/L	No	16	B
7	Salem	38.7 µg/L	No	11	C+
8	Cambridge	34.7 µg/L	No	86	C-
9	Norwalk	34.7 µg/L	No	12	B+
10	Mansfield	34.3 µg/L	No	37	F
11	Norton	33.3 µg/L	No	17	A-
12	Bluffton	31.7 µg/L	No	19	B+
13	Warren	31.2 µg/L	No	62	F
14	Stow	31.2 µg/L	No	4	C+
15	Glenford	30.5 µg/L	No	3	B+
16	Niles	29.9 µg/L	No	1	B
17	Alliance	28.1 µg/L	No	17	B+
18	Steubenville	27.5 µg/L	No	30	F
19	Marion	27.5 µg/L	No	9	B-
20	Mentor	27.2 µg/L	No	6	B-
21	Delaware	27.1 µg/L	No	5	B
22	Girard	26.9 µg/L	No	0	B+
23	Lagrange	26.7 µg/L	No	10	C
24	Portsmouth	26.5 µg/L	No	1	B
25	Mcdonald	26.2 µg/L	No	1	B+
26	Sandusky	26.0 µg/L	No	6	A-
27	Aurora	25.9 µg/L	No	0	A-
28	Pataskala	25.4 µg/L	No	4	B+
29	Medina	25.4 µg/L	No	15	C+
30	Van Wert	25.1 µg/L	No	47	C
31	Newark	25.0 µg/L	No	6	B-
32	Wellsville	24.9 µg/L	No	3	C+
33	Port Clinton	24.6 µg/L	No	46	D+
34	Huron	24.5 µg/L	No	13	C+
35	Ironton	24.2 µg/L	No	12	C-
36	Batavia	23.7 µg/L	No	2	B+
37	East Liverpool	22.9 µg/L	No	14	B
38	Youngstown	22.7 µg/L	No	3	C
39	Reynoldsburg	22.6 µg/L	No	0	B+
40	Painesville	21.0 µg/L	No	0	B+
41	Defiance	20.8 µg/L	No	171	F
42	Struthers	20.4 µg/L	No	1	B+
43	Galion	20.3 µg/L	No	18	B-
44	Jackson	19.6 µg/L	No	11	B-
45	Sebring	19.6 µg/L	No	51	B-
46	Wilmington	19.3 µg/L	No	26	B
47	Zanesville	19.1 µg/L	No	7	D+
48	Lorain	18.7 µg/L	No	15	B+
49	Bexley	18.6 µg/L	No	16	C
50	Findlay	18.2 µg/L	No	6	A-
51	Conneaut	18.2 µg/L	No	6	B+
52	Fremont	17.9 µg/L	No	44	B-
53	Wooster	17.9 µg/L	No	14	F
54	Vermilion	17.8 µg/L	No	7	B+
55	Cuyahoga Falls	17.7 µg/L	No	3	B-
56	Avon Lake	16.6 µg/L	No	2	A-
57	Amherst	16.4 µg/L	No	0	B+
58	Columbus	16.3 µg/L	No	56	F
59	Whitehouse	16.0 µg/L	No	8	B
60	Fostoria	15.9 µg/L	No	32	F
61	Lima	15.9 µg/L	No	16	F
62	Bedford	15.1 µg/L	No	0	A
63	Avon	14.6 µg/L	No	1	A-
64	Barnesville	14.6 µg/L	No	14	C
65	Berea	14.3 µg/L	No	1	B+
66	Oregon	14.0 µg/L	No	1	B+
67	Bowling Green	13.5 µg/L	No	85	F
68	Waverly	13.4 µg/L	No	4	C+
69	North Ridgeville	13.3 µg/L	No	1	B
70	Piqua	13.3 µg/L	No	12	B
71	Cleveland	13.2 µg/L	No	2	A-
72	Lakewood	12.4 µg/L	No	0	B+
73	Maumee	12.1 µg/L	No	6	B-
74	Marysville	11.4 µg/L	No	16	B+
75	Morrow	11.2 µg/L	No	7	B-
76	Sylvania	11.1 µg/L	No	0	A-
77	Celina	10.7 µg/L	No	45	B-
78	Streetsboro	9.7 µg/L	No	1	A+
79	Toledo	9.3 µg/L	No	13	B
80	Columbia Station	9.3 µg/L	No	0	A-
81	Lancaster	9.2 µg/L	No	6	B+
82	Groveport	9.2 µg/L	No	1	A-
83	Greenville	9.1 µg/L	No	4	A-
84	Ashland	9.1 µg/L	No	2	B+
85	Edon	9.0 µg/L	No	0	B+
86	Bucyrus	8.8 µg/L	No	3	B
87	Wapakoneta	8.4 µg/L	No	7	B
88	Athens	8.4 µg/L	No	4	B+
89	Roseville	8.3 µg/L	No	0	A-
90	Sidney	8.1 µg/L	No	5	B+
91	Marietta	7.9 µg/L	No	11	F
92	New Carlisle	7.9 µg/L	No	5	B+
93	Lebanon	7.8 µg/L	No	28	D
94	Monroe	7.6 µg/L	No	2	B
95	Lucasville	7.6 µg/L	No	3	A-
96	Baltimore	7.6 µg/L	No	1	B
97	Cardington	7.5 µg/L	No	1	B+
98	Williamsport	7.0 µg/L	No	31	C-
99	Beavercreek	7.0 µg/L	No	9	B+
100	Xenia	7.0 µg/L	No	1	A-
101	Huber Heights	6.8 µg/L	No	4	A-
102	Botkins	6.7 µg/L	No	10	B
103	Mcdermott	6.6 µg/L	No	2	A
104	Russia	6.5 µg/L	No	0	A-
105	Clarksville	6.5 µg/L	No	0	A-
106	Canton	6.5 µg/L	No	2	B-
107	Kettering	6.5 µg/L	No	14	C
108	Englewood	6.5 µg/L	No	1	A-
109	West Union	6.4 µg/L	No	3	B
110	Springfield	6.2 µg/L	No	42	F
111	Franklin	6.1 µg/L	No	2	B+
112	Franklin Furnace	6.1 µg/L	No	8	D
113	Cincinnati	6.0 µg/L	No	10	F
114	Springboro	5.8 µg/L	No	4	B+
115	Hillsboro	5.6 µg/L	No	8	B+
116	Bristol	5.4 µg/L	No	5	A
117	N Canton	5.3 µg/L	No	0	A-
118	Chillicothe	5.3 µg/L	No	0	B+
119	Norwood	5.3 µg/L	No	3	B+
120	Jamestown	5.2 µg/L	No	4	B
121	Hamilton	4.9 µg/L	No	5	B-
122	New Richmond	4.9 µg/L	No	0	B-
123	Dayton	4.8 µg/L	No	43	F
124	Oak Hill	4.8 µg/L	No	9	B-
125	Ripley	4.5 µg/L	No	1	A-
126	Gallipolis	4.5 µg/L	No	3	B
127	Tipp City	4.4 µg/L	No	0	C+
128	Rossburg	4.1 µg/L	No	0	B+
129	Somerville	3.8 µg/L	No	2	A
130	Massillon	3.6 µg/L	No	13	D+
131	Bellefontaine	3.6 µg/L	No	5	B
132	Coshocton	3.6 µg/L	No	13	B+
133	Loveland	3.6 µg/L	No	0	B+
134	Fairfield	3.5 µg/L	No	9	B
135	Carrollton	3.5 µg/L	No	2	B-
136	Urbana	3.2 µg/L	No	24	C+
137	Dover	3.1 µg/L	No	11	B
138	Vandalia	3.0 µg/L	No	10	B+
139	Circleville	2.9 µg/L	No	5	B
140	Miamisburg	2.9 µg/L	No	2	C
141	Pickerington	2.7 µg/L	No	1	A-
142	Wadsworth	2.6 µg/L	No	0	B+
143	Trenton	2.6 µg/L	No	10	B-
144	Long Bottom	2.6 µg/L	No	1	A
145	Ontario	1.8 µg/L	No	0	A-
146	New Philadelphia	1.5 µg/L	No	4	B
147	Camden	1.3 µg/L	No	1	B+
148	Little Hocking	0.6 µg/L	No	0	B+
149	Mount Vernon	0.0 µg/L	No	3	B+

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about haa5 in Ohio

What is HAA5 and why does it appear in Ohio tap water?

HAA5 (haloacetic acids) are disinfection byproducts that form when chlorine reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in source water. They are a normal byproduct of the disinfection process that makes water safe to drink. No cities in Ohio currently exceed the 60 µg/L EPA MCL. The state average is 14.7 µg/L.

How can I reduce HAA5 exposure from Ohio drinking water?

Activated carbon filters (granular or block) effectively reduce HAA5. Refrigerator filters and under-sink carbon systems are convenient options. Unlike lead or PFAS, HAA5 levels can also be reduced by letting water stand in an open container, as some species evaporate. Boiling does NOT remove HAA5 and can concentrate them by reducing water volume.

Which Ohio cities have the highest HAA5 levels?

The cities with the highest average HAA5 concentrations in Ohio are: Ravenna (47.0 µg/L), Tallmadge (46.2 µg/L), Jefferson (43.8 µg/L), Ashtabula (43.2 µg/L), Kent (43.1 µg/L). Note: this data is from UCMR 4 testing (2018–2020) and may not reflect current levels.

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