Community Water System · PWS OH0802012
Brown County Rural Water
Ripley, Ohio 45167 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 32,090 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.
- 32,090
- People served
- 309
- EPA violations
- 4
- Health-based
- No PFAS
- UCMR5 result
The verdict
EPA records 309 drinking-water violations at Brown County Rural Water, 1% of them health-based - above the Ohio per-system average.
- 309
- Total EPA violations on record
- 1%
- Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
- 32,090
- People served by this system
- 0
- PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)
Water Quality Snapshot: Brown County Rural Water
Brown County Rural Water is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 32,090 residents in Ripley, Ohio (Brown County) through 11,679 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 309 total violations for this system , of which 4 (1%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 302 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2014.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Methoxychlor, recorded in 15 violations (MR). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.
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%).
Brown County Rural Water's 309 violations sit above 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.
System Details
- System Type
- Community
- Owner Type
- Local
- Connections
- 11,679
- County
- Brown
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 4
- Monitoring Violations
- 302
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 0
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Methoxychlor | MR | 15 | 1994 |
| Toxaphene | MR | 15 | 1994 |
| 2,4-D | MR | 15 | 1994 |
| 2,4,5-TP | MR | 15 | 1994 |
| Endrin | MR | 15 | 1994 |
| BHC-GAMMA | MR | 15 | 1994 |
| Dalapon | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Diquat | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Glyphosate | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| OXAMYL | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Picloram | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Aldicarb | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Atrazine | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Heptachlor | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Chlordane | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Simazine | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Dinoseb | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| LASSO | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Heptachlor epoxide | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Pentachlorophenol | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Endothall | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Carbofuran | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| HEXACHLOROBENZENE | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Aldicarb sulfone | MR | 8 | 1994 |
| Aldicarb sulfoxide | MR | 8 | 1994 |
PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)
Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 58 samples detected PFAS.
| Contaminant | Date | Result | MRL | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFNA | 8/15/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBA | 8/15/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| HFPO-DA | 8/15/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 9Cl-PF3ONS | 8/15/2023 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFUnA | 8/15/2023 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDoA | 8/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDA | 8/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 6:2 FTS | 8/15/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOS | 8/15/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 11Cl-PF3OUdS | 8/15/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxS | 8/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NEtFOSAA | 8/15/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpA | 8/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBS | 8/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 8:2 FTS | 8/15/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| ADONA | 8/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOA | 8/15/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeS | 8/15/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTrDA | 8/15/2023 | <7.00 ppt | 7.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTA | 8/15/2023 | <8.00 ppt | 8.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NMeFOSAA | 8/15/2023 | <6.00 ppt | 6.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxA | 8/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 4:2 FTS | 8/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpS | 8/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NFDHA | 8/15/2023 | <20.00 ppt | 20.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFEESA | 8/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMBA | 8/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeA | 8/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMPA | 8/15/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFEESA | 2/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpA | 2/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxS | 2/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxA | 2/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFUnA | 2/15/2023 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 11Cl-PF3OUdS | 2/15/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 9Cl-PF3ONS | 2/15/2023 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| ADONA | 2/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| HFPO-DA | 2/15/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBA | 2/15/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 6:2 FTS | 2/15/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 4:2 FTS | 2/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 8:2 FTS | 2/15/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMPA | 2/15/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOA | 2/15/2023 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NMeFOSAA | 2/15/2023 | <6.00 ppt | 6.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NEtFOSAA | 2/15/2023 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTrDA | 2/15/2023 | <7.00 ppt | 7.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTA | 2/15/2023 | <8.00 ppt | 8.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeA | 2/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDA | 2/15/2023 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 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 Brown County Rural Water.
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 OH0802012 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 Brown County Rural Water 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Coliform (TCR) | MR | 6 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 3100 |
| 2014 | TTHM | MR | 3 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2950 |
| 2014 | Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 3 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2456 |
| 2004 | Coliform (TCR) | MCL | 4 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 3100 |
| 1994 | Methoxychlor | MR | 15 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2015 |
| 1994 | Toxaphene | MR | 15 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2020 |
| 1994 | 2,4-D | MR | 15 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2105 |
| 1994 | 2,4,5-TP | MR | 15 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2110 |
| 1994 | Endrin | MR | 15 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2005 |
| 1994 | BHC-GAMMA | MR | 15 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2010 |
| 1994 | Dalapon | MR | 8 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2031 |
| 1994 | Diquat | MR | 8 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2032 |
| 1994 | Glyphosate | MR | 8 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2034 |
| 1994 | Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate | MR | 8 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2035 |
| 1994 | OXAMYL | MR | 8 | SDWIS / OH0802012 / 2036 |
How Brown County Rural Water Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | Brown County Rural Water | Ohio avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 309 | 69 | SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 4 | 12.5 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | None | 59% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 32,090 | 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 Brown County Rural Water water safe to drink? ▼
How many people does Brown County Rural Water serve? ▼
What type of violations does Brown County Rural Water have? ▼
Has PFAS been detected in Brown County Rural Water water? ▼
What water source does Brown County Rural Water 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.