Akron Notifies 6,600 Water Customers of Elevated Haloacetic Acid Levels but Assures Safety

AKRON, Ohio — The City of Akron announced Wednesday that recent testing found slightly elevated levels of Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) in two of its 12 routine water sampling locations. While the results exceeded the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) for HAA5, city officials emphasized there is no immediate health risk and no action is required from customers.

The exceedance was recorded during quarterly testing, with one site on Swan Lake Road in Copley Township reporting an annual average of 0.0623 milligrams per liter (mg/L) and another at Ascot Industrial Park near West Bath Road in Akron showing 0.0627 mg/L. Both readings slightly surpass the EPA’s 0.060 mg/L MCL. The city will issue mailed notifications to approximately 6,600 customers in the affected zones over the coming weeks.

“I want to reassure our residents and water customers that our water remains safe to drink and use as normal,” said Scott Moegling, Acting Water Bureau Manager. “The City of Akron remains committed to transparency, proactive communication and the highest standards of health and safety. We will continue to monitor the situation and inform residents of any updates.”

HAA5 is a common byproduct formed when disinfectants such as chlorine react with organic materials found in surface water. According to EPA guidance, prolonged consumption of water with HAA5 levels above the MCL could pose a slight increase in long-term health risks, including certain cancers. However, short-term exposure to current levels presents no immediate health concerns.

The city attributes the recent increase to a combination of environmental factors, including record-high water temperatures at Lake Rockwell, heavy rains following last year’s drought, and algal blooms that contributed to higher organic material levels. These conditions required additional chlorine use, which in turn led to increased disinfection byproducts.

The city is implementing several measures to bring HAA5 levels back into compliance, including adjusting treatment processes, purchasing additional activated carbon to remove organic matter, and enhancing lake management strategies to address algal blooms and other seasonal challenges. Akron water officials are also working closely with the Ohio EPA, engineering consultants, and other utilities to refine treatment protocols.

Residents in the impacted areas will receive mailed notifications explaining the situation, including optional steps such as using home water filtration systems. City officials caution that such systems must be properly maintained and may be costly.

Some residents have recently reported unusual taste or odor in their tap water, which the city says is caused by natural compounds MIB and Geosmin related to algal blooms. This issue is unrelated to HAA5 levels and does not affect water safety.

The elevated HAA5 readings will remain on record until the next scheduled testing in October. If future tests continue to exceed EPA standards, additional public notices will be issued.

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