Lorain, OH Water Quality (ZIP 44053)

Quick Answers

Is ZIP 44053 tap water safe to drink? PFAS compounds have been detected in 44053's water at an average of 0 ppt across 2 compounds. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended, especially for sensitive populations.

What filter should I use in 44053? A reverse osmosis system (NSF/ANSI 58) removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. For smaller households, an NSF-53 certified pitcher (Clearly Filtered, ZeroWater) works. Standard Brita cartridges are not certified for PFAS.

ZIP 44053 Water Quality Summary

EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in the water system serving ZIP 44053 (Lorain, OH). Monitoring found a peak of 0.01 ppt across 1 system, averaging 0 ppt over 2 detected compounds.

Contamination Level: LOW – Low contamination – PFAS detected but at lower levels; monitoring continues.

Top Detected Compounds in ZIP 44053

• PFBA: 0.01 ppt
• PFHXA: 0 ppt

Lead in ZIP 44053 Water

EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing recorded 22 lead samples for the system serving 44053, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.0091 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; homes built before 1986 should use a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead filter.

EPA Violations Affecting ZIP 44053

The water system serving 44053 has 1 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violation on record, including 5000. A health-based violation means a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.

About the Data

Source: EPA UCMR5 monitoring (2023-2025), Lead and Copper Rule samples, and SDWIS violation records tied to the water system that serves 44053 in Lorain, OH.

Beyond water: other exposures in Lorain, OH

Drinking water is one exposure route. These are the other federal datasets that cover ZIP 44053 and Lorain County, OH.

Radon risk in Lorain County, OH

The EPA places Lorain County, OH in Zone 2 - a moderate-risk category, with a predicted average indoor radon level between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Zone maps predict the radon potential of an area from geology and existing indoor readings - they do not describe any individual home. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked, and the only way to know your own level is a test kit.

Lead paint risk in Lorain County, OH

Census figures show 63% of homes in Lorain County, OH were built before 1980, and 20% before 1950. Lead-based paint was banned for residential use in 1978, so older housing stock is the strongest available proxy for lead-paint exposure. This is a statistic about the county's housing, not a test of any particular property - if your home predates 1980, a lead swab test is the way to check.

Air quality in Lorain County, OH

Modelled annual fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) for Lorain County, OH averages 8.1 µg/m³, within the EPA's annual PM2.5 standard of 9 µg/m³. PM2.5 is the pollution fraction small enough to reach deep into the lungs. These are CDC modelled estimates for the county as a whole, not a reading taken at this ZIP code.