PIKETON, Ohio — The water supply in Piketon, Ohio, has once again come under scrutiny as the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to Piketon Village Public Water System (PWS) for failing to monitor and report disinfection by-products in drinking water during the fourth quarter of 2024. This violation compounds existing concerns about the region’s water safety, particularly in light of prior investigations into possible radioactive contamination tied to the nearby former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS).
The latest enforcement action by the Ohio EPA raises serious questions: How safe is Piketon’s drinking water? Are violations and oversights symptoms of a larger issue? Are residents being adequately informed about potential risks to their health?
EPA Cites Piketon for Failure to Monitor Drinking Water
The Ohio EPA’s Notice of Violation, sent to Billy R. Spencer, Piketon’s mayor, on February 19, 2025, states that the village failed to monitor and report levels of disinfection by-products (DBPs)—a regulated class of contaminants that form when chlorine or other disinfectants react with organic materials in water.
While DBPs are a routine by-product of water treatment, prolonged exposure at elevated levels can pose health risks, including an increased risk of bladder cancer, kidney disease, and potential reproductive issues, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Under Ohio Administrative Code Rule 3745-81-24, the village is required to:
- Regularly test drinking water for contaminants.
- Submit those test results to the state.
- Notify the public when violations occur.
The failure to conduct proper monitoring and reporting means residents do not know whether DBPs exceeded safe limits in their drinking water—a fundamental failure in public health transparency.
Corrective Actions Ordered by the Ohio EPA
To return to compliance, Piketon Village PWS must take the following steps immediately:
- Notify residents about the monitoring violation through a public notice.
- Submit verification of this public notification to the Ohio EPA.
- Collect new water samples for DBP testing as per the latest monitoring schedule.
- Send samples to a certified laboratory for analysis.
- Include a full explanation of the violation in the annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), detailing the potential health effects and corrective actions taken.
The Ohio EPA warned that continued noncompliance could lead to further enforcement actions, including potential fines or further regulatory oversight.
A Pattern of Water Safety Issues?
This latest failure to monitor drinking water follows a February 10, 2025, Scioto Valley Guardian report that highlighted concerns over potential radioactive contamination in Pike County’s water supply.
According to the report, Technetium-99 (Tc-99)—a radioactive isotope linked to the PORTS nuclear site—may be present in the region’s water, as well as other beta emitters, yet it is not part of Ohio’s routine water testing protocols.
Why does this matter? Tc-99 is a highly mobile radioactive contaminant that can travel through soil and enter groundwater supplies. The isotope is a byproduct of nuclear fuel production and uranium enrichment, activities that took place for decades at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant before it was decommissioned. Prolonged exposure to Tc-99 has been linked to increased cancer risks and potential harm to the kidneys, according to scientific studies.
Lack of Comprehensive Testing for Radioactive Contaminants
Despite these concerns, Ohio does not require routine monitoring of beta emitters in municipal water supplies. Independent research and environmental groups have raised alarms about elevated levels of Tc-99 found in soil and crops near the plant, but public water testing remains limited.
As previously reported, data from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and independent environmental studies have indicated contamination concerns near Piketon, but the full extent of any radioactive contamination in drinking water remains unclear.
Without comprehensive testing, residents are left in the dark about potential health risks. This raises a troubling question: Are Piketon and other nearby communities at risk due to regulatory gaps in water testing?
Backflow Prevention and Water System Oversight
In addition to the monitoring violation, internal emails reveal efforts by Piketon officials to enforce backflow prevention ordinances to prevent contaminated water from entering the public water supply.
Documents show that Richard Duncan, Piketon’s Utilities Director, has been conducting inspections of local businesses and institutions to ensure their backflow prevention systems are compliant with Ohio law. However, records indicate that some facilities had not been inspected for years, and several medical and commercial properties recently failed their backflow tests:
| Facility | Date | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley View Health | 02/05/2025 | ✅ Compliant | |
| Adena-Piketon | Failed | ❌ Non-compliant | Awaiting replacement (scheduled for 2/19/25) |
| The Pavilion | Failed (3 devices) | ❌ Non-compliant | Rebuild kits pending approval |
| Piketon High School | 07/26/2024 | ✅ Compliant | (13 devices tested) |
| Comfort Inn | 07/19/2024 | ✅ Compliant | (2 devices tested) |
| Community Action | 02/05/2025 | ✅ Compliant | |
| Taco Bell/Duchess | Contacted | Awaiting response |
Backflow prevention is a crucial part of water system safety, ensuring that pollutants from industrial or commercial properties do not enter the public drinking water supply. The recent findings suggest potential vulnerabilities in Piketon’s water infrastructure that could further exacerbate contamination risks if not swiftly addressed.
What’s Next for Piketon’s Water?
With two major water safety issues unfolding simultaneously—the failure to monitor drinking water for DBPs and concerns over radioactive contamination—residents of Piketon deserve clear answers and decisive action.
Immediate questions remain:
- Will Piketon comply fully with the Ohio EPA’s corrective orders?
- Will state and local officials take further steps to test for Tc-99 in drinking water?
- Will regulatory agencies increase oversight of the region’s water quality?
- How long have these monitoring failures been happening, and what other risks might exist?
For now, the responsibility falls on both state regulators and local officials to ensure water safety in Piketon.
For further updates and investigative reports on Piketon’s water safety, stay tuned to the Scioto Valley Guardian.