Community Water System · PWS OH0200811
Lima City
Lima, Ohio 45801-4948 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 65,619 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.
- 65,619
- People served
- 59
- EPA violations
- 12
- Health-based
- 3 PFAS
- UCMR5 result
The verdict
EPA records 59 drinking-water violations at Lima City, 20% of them health-based - below the Ohio per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 3 PFAS compounds.
- 59
- Total EPA violations on record
- 20%
- Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
- 65,619
- People served by this system
- 3
- PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)
Water Quality Snapshot: Lima City
Lima City is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 65,619 residents in Lima, Ohio (Allen County) through 27,113 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 59 total violations for this system , of which 12 (20%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 33 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2024.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Atrazine, recorded in 8 violations (MR). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 3 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 5.3 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.
Across Ohio, EPA tracks 4,181 public water systems serving 11,085,226 people, with 288,388 cumulative violations and 52,412 health-based violations on record. About 90% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 69 violations. Statewide, 204 of 346 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (59%).
Lima City's 59 violations sit below the Ohio average.
All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.
3 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.
System Details
- System Type
- Community
- Owner Type
- Local
- Connections
- 27,113
- County
- Allen
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 8
- Monitoring Violations
- 33
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 4
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atrazine | MR | 8 | 2004 |
| Simazine | MR | 8 | 2004 |
| LASSO | MR | 8 | 2004 |
| TTHM | MCL | 8 | 2024 |
| Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | TT | 4 | 2016 |
| Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | Other | 4 | 2018 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 3 | 2015 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 3 | 2004 |
| Public Notice | Other | 2 | 2019 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 1 | 1992 |
| Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | MR | 1 | 2016 |
| TTHM | MR | 1 | 2004 |
PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)
Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 6 of 116 samples detected PFAS.
| Contaminant | Date | Result | MRL | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9Cl-PF3ONS | 8/7/2023 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBS | 8/7/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpA | 8/7/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxS | 8/7/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFNA | 8/7/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOS | 8/7/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOA | 8/7/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDA | 8/7/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDoA | 8/7/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxA | 8/7/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 11Cl-PF3OUdS | 8/7/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| ADONA | 8/7/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| HFPO-DA | 8/7/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeS | 8/7/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NMeFOSAA | 8/7/2023 | <6.00 ppt | 6.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NEtFOSAA | 8/7/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTrDA | 8/7/2023 | <7.00 ppt | 7.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFUnA | 8/7/2023 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpS | 8/7/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBA | 8/7/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NFDHA | 8/7/2023 | <20.00 ppt | 20.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFEESA | 8/7/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMBA | 8/7/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeA | 8/7/2023 | 3.40 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Detected |
| PFMPA | 8/7/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 8:2 FTS | 8/7/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 4:2 FTS | 8/7/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 6:2 FTS | 8/7/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTA | 8/7/2023 | <8.00 ppt | 8.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NMeFOSAA | 5/3/2023 | <6.00 ppt | 6.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTA | 5/3/2023 | <8.00 ppt | 8.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTrDA | 5/3/2023 | <7.00 ppt | 7.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NEtFOSAA | 5/3/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 6:2 FTS | 5/3/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| ADONA | 5/3/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBS | 5/3/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxS | 5/3/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFNA | 5/3/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOS | 5/3/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOA | 5/3/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDA | 5/3/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxA | 5/3/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| HFPO-DA | 5/3/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpA | 5/3/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 9Cl-PF3ONS | 5/3/2023 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDoA | 5/3/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBA | 5/3/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 4:2 FTS | 5/3/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 8:2 FTS | 5/3/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMPA | 5/3/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
Verify This Water System
The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for Lima City.
EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports
EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:
View PWS ID OH0200811 on SDWISSource: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search
Ohio Drinking Water Authority
Ohio EPA, Division of Drinking and Ground Waters is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects Lima City under EPA-delegated authority.
Open OH regulator portalViolation Timeline
Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.
| Year (latest) | Contaminant | Category | Count | EPA Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | TTHM | MCL | 8 | SDWIS / OH0200811 / 2950 |
| 2019 | Public Notice | Other | 2 | SDWIS / OH0200811 / 7500 |
| 2018 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | Other | 4 | SDWIS / OH0200811 / 0300 |
| 2016 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | TT | 4 | SDWIS / OH0200811 / 0300 |
| 2016 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OH0200811 / 0300 |
| 2015 | Coliform (TCR) | MR | 3 | SDWIS / OH0200811 / 3100 |
| 2004 | Atrazine | MR | 8 | SDWIS / OH0200811 / 2050 |
| 2004 | Simazine | MR | 8 | SDWIS / OH0200811 / 2037 |
| 2004 | LASSO | MR | 8 | SDWIS / OH0200811 / 2051 |
| 2004 | Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 3 | SDWIS / OH0200811 / 2456 |
| 2004 | TTHM | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OH0200811 / 2950 |
| 1992 | Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OH0200811 / 5000 |
How Lima City Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | Lima City | Ohio avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 59 | 69 | SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 12 | 12.5 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | 3 compounds | 59% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 65,619 | 2,651 | Sizing context for compliance burden |
Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 4,181 regulated public water systems in Ohio.
Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
| Contaminant | Federal MCL / Action Level | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) | Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique |
| Arsenic | 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) | Health-based MCL since 2006 |
| Total Coliform | Treatment technique (RTCR) | Indicator organism, monitoring trigger |
| PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) | 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) | Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026) |
| Nitrate (as N) | 10 mg/L | Acute health risk for infants |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lima City water safe to drink? ▼
How many people does Lima City serve? ▼
What type of violations does Lima City have? ▼
Has PFAS been detected in Lima City water? ▼
What water source does Lima City use? ▼
Where does this data come from? ▼
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.