COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new drinking‑water reporting rules that would, for the first time, require community water systems to include health‑effects warnings when PFAS chemicals are detected above federal limits.
The draft rule package, released May 26 as part of the state’s five‑year regulatory review, updates Ohio’s Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) requirements. The most significant change centers on PFAS — the toxic “forever chemicals” linked to cancer, immune suppression, developmental harm, and other health risks.
Under the proposed language in Rule 3745‑96‑03(E), any water system detecting PFOA or PFAS above 0.0000040 mg/L (4 parts per trillion) must include official PFAS health‑effects warnings in its annual report to customers. The document states:
“PFOA or PFAS at an entry point above 0.0000040 mg/L shall include health effects language prescribed by the appendix to rule 3745‑96‑02.”
The 4‑ppt threshold matches the U.S. EPA’s newly adopted national drinking‑water standard, making Ohio’s proposal one of the first state‑level rule updates to incorporate the federal PFAS limits.
A major shift in transparency
Until now, Ohio’s CCR rules did not require PFAS disclosures unless a water system chose to include them. The new proposal would make PFAS warnings mandatory, ensuring residents receive clear information about contamination risks even when levels are low but still above the federal limit.
PFAS contamination has been documented across Ohio, including in groundwater, surface water, and public water systems. The chemicals persist indefinitely in the environment and accumulate in the human body.
Public comment open through June 26
The agency has opened a 30‑day public comment period as part of its Interested Party Review. Comments must be submitted by 5 p.m. on June 26, 2026.
Draft rules and supporting documents are available through the Ohio EPA’s Division of Drinking and Ground Waters.
Comments can be submitted online here.