Water Quality

General Information

Our Environmental Laboratory tests our drinking water more than 12,000 times every year, ensuring water quality and safety, and protecting public health. Our drinking water consistently meets and exceeds state and federal drinking water quality standards.

If you would like to learn more about your water quality, please take a moment to review our most recent Drinking Water Quality Report. You can also read more about our pH monitoring improvement efforts here.

Where Your Water Comes From

Montgomery County Environmental Services purchases drinking water from the City of Dayton Water Department and then distributes it to customers. Water in our region comes from the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer, an underground water source that holds about 1.5 trillion gallons of water.

Hard Water

Hard water is caused by dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which can leave behind residue. Montgomery County water is softened to approximately 9 grains per gallon (157 mg/L), and many of our customers do not find it necessary to use a water softener.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals applied to many consumer goods to make them waterproof, stain resistant, or nonstick. PFAS are also used in products like cosmetics, fast food packaging, and a type of firefighting foam called aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) which are used mainly on large spills of flammable liquids, such as jet fuel.

PFAS are classified as contaminants of emerging concern, meaning that research into the harm they may cause to human health is still ongoing. The most commonly studied PFAS are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). (Source: Ohio EPA)

View Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's website for regulations and guidelines regarding PFAS.

Find additional information at Public Health of Dayton-Montgomery County regarding PFAS.

Chlorine Taste or Smell

Chlorine kills bacteria and other pathogens that cause disease and is added to water systems to protect public health. Montgomery County drinking water consistently meets and exceeds all drinking water quality standards. However, if you dislike the taste of chlorine, you can:

1. Install a filter.
2. Fill a pitcher of water and let it sit for 2 to 3 hours. The chlorine will dissipate.
3. Add fresh mint, lemon wedges, or fruit to your water.

Under a Boil Advisory? Here's What You Should Do

• Throw away uncooked food or beverages or ice cubes if made with tap water during the day of the advisory.
• Keep boiled water in the refrigerator for drinking.
• Rinse hand-washed dishes for a minute in diluted bleach (one tablespoon of household bleach per gallon of tap water) or clean your dishes in a dishwasher using the hot wash cycle and dry cycle.
• Do not swallow water while you are showering or bathing.
• Provide pets with boiled water after cooling.
• Do not use home filtering devices in place of boiling or using bottled water; most home water filters will not provide adequate protection from microorganisms.
• Use only boiled water to treat minor injuries.
• Drink bottled water.

Yellow or Brown Discoloration

Your water can become discolored by minerals that accumulate inside pipes. Iron is one such mineral, which can make water appear yellow or brown. Discoloration often occurs when there is increased water flow, such as during a fire emergency or a water main break.

If your water is discolored, give the water system time to settle down. The minerals will dissipate eventually. You can check the water every half hour by running the bathtub faucet. Do not wash laundry when the water is discolored. If you were doing laundry when the water became discolored, do not dry the laundry. Instead, leave the laundry wet and use a product such as Iron-Out or Rust-Out.

Report a Water Quality Concern

If you have any additional water quality concerns, please contact us at 937-781-2666.