Columbiana County, Ohio: drinking water report. Columbiana County in eastern Ohio has about 102,000 residents near the Pennsylvania border.
Columbiana County in eastern Ohio has about 102,000 residents near the Pennsylvania border. East Liverpool, Salem, and Lisbon are the main communities. The county's pottery and ceramics industry – East Liverpool was once the pottery capital of the country – and steel manufacturing left contamination at multiple sites along the Ohio River corridor.
The WTI incinerator in East Liverpool, which burns hazardous waste, has been a community concern since it began operating in 1993. According to Ohio EPA's 2024 air and water monitoring data, the facility operates within its permitted emission limits, but community groups have documented concerns about cumulative exposure from the incinerator, legacy pottery-industry contamination, and Ohio River water quality.
The Ohio River at East Liverpool carries the industrial discharges of the Pittsburgh metro area and upstream steel towns. A 2024 ORSANCO assessment found that the river at this point shows trace levels of over 40 organic compounds. PFAS from the former Salem Airport has been detected at 8 ppt in local monitoring wells.
Columbiana County's industrial legacy and Ohio River location mean residents face contamination from both local sources and upstream discharges. If you are on a municipal system drawing from the Ohio River, the water is treated, but household filtration adds a meaningful buffer.
Check your water for current data. For the industrial contaminant mix typical of the upper Ohio Valley, reverse osmosis at the kitchen tap provides the broadest protection. Our water filter guide covers systems rated for industrial-area water. Pull your detailed report for trends, and visit our Ohio page for statewide data.