Is Delaware, OH tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for Delaware City Public Water System.
Delaware City Public Water System supplies Delaware (43,895 people).
Water system
Delaware City Public Water System
43,895 people · Surface water · EPA ID OH2100311
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 0 ppb at the 90th percentile (Dec 2024, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Across Ohio, 35 of 331 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 3 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Ohio results.
Delaware homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Delaware city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin 13 mi Del-Co Water Company, Inc. | None above limits | 0.82 ppb |
| Westerville 14 mi Del-Co Water Company, Inc. | None above limits | 0.82 ppb |
| Marysville 16 mi Marysville City Public Water System | None above limits | 1 ppb |
| Gahanna 20 mi Gahanna City Public Water System | None above limits | 0.5 ppb |
| Columbus 21 mi Columbus Public Water System | None above limits | 1.2 ppb |
| Reynoldsburg 27 mi Reynoldsburg City Public Water System | None above limits | 2.1 ppb |
Delaware ZIP codes (1)
- 43015
Questions
Is Delaware tap water safe to drink?
Delaware City Public Water System has had no health-based violations since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Delaware, OH?
Delaware City Public Water System, which serves 43,895 people.
Does Delaware tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Delaware City Public Water System had no PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2025 testing. "Not detected" means below the reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt), not proven zero.
Do Delaware homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 36% of Delaware homes as built before 1980 (Ohio: 63%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Delaware City Public Water System's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.