Cabell County, West Virginia: drinking water report. Cabell County on West Virginia's western border has about 93,000 residents, with Huntington as the…
Cabell County on West Virginia's western border has about 93,000 residents, with Huntington as the county seat. The Ohio River provides the primary water source, with West Virginia American Water operating the treatment and distribution system. The Ohio River at Huntington has traveled over 300 miles from Pittsburgh, accumulating industrial and municipal discharges from one of the most heavily industrialized river corridors in the country.
The Ohio River at Huntington carries a complex mix of contaminants. According to the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission's 2024 assessment, the river shows trace levels of over 50 organic compounds at the Huntington monitoring station, including pharmaceuticals, industrial solvents, and PFAS. Treatment plants address regulated contaminants, but the variety of trace compounds in the source water is among the highest of any drinking water source in the region.
The Tri-State Airport serving Huntington has documented AFFF use. West Virginia DEP's 2024 PFAS investigation found PFOS at 9 ppt in monitoring wells near the facility. The former INCO Alloys International plant contributed nickel and chromium contamination to the Huntington area groundwater.
Huntington's Ohio River source water is treated to meet all standards, but the river carries more trace compounds than most surface water sources. Household filtration adds a meaningful buffer against the mix of compounds that treatment plants were not originally designed to remove.
Check your water for current data. For the complex mix found in Ohio River water, reverse osmosis provides the most comprehensive household protection. Our water filter guide covers systems suited to treated river water. Get your detailed report for trends, and visit our West Virginia page for statewide context.