Is Newark, 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 Newark City Public Water System. 1 PFAS were detected below the limits.
Newark City Public Water System supplies Newark (49,934 people).
Water system
Newark City Public Water System
49,934 people · Surface water · EPA ID OH4502314
Buys treated water from City of Heath Public Water System.
| 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: 1 ppb at the 90th percentile (Nov 2026, 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.
Newark 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 Newark city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Reynoldsburg 21 mi Reynoldsburg City Public Water System | None above limits | 2.1 ppb |
| Pickerington 22 mi Pickerington City Public Water System | None above limits | 0.6 ppb |
| Zanesville 23 mi Zanesville Public Water System | None above limits | 0.9 ppb |
| Gahanna 24 mi Gahanna City Public Water System | None above limits | 0.5 ppb |
| Lancaster 26 mi Lancaster City Public Water System | None above limits | 0.8 ppb |
| Westerville 26 mi Del-Co Water Company, Inc. | None above limits | 0.82 ppb |
Newark ZIP codes (1)
- 43055
Questions
Is Newark tap water safe to drink?
Newark 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 Newark, OH?
Newark City Public Water System, which serves 49,934 people.
Does Newark tap water have PFAS?
Newark City Public Water System had 1 PFAS detected at least once in EPA's 2023–2025 testing, all with averages below the federal limits.
Do Newark homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 71% of Newark 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. Newark 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.