Medina County, Ohio: drinking water report. Medina County in northeastern Ohio has a population of about 185,000, positioned between Cleveland, Akron, and…
Medina County in northeastern Ohio has a population of about 185,000, positioned between Cleveland, Akron, and the rural farmland of Wayne County. Water sources split between municipal systems – some purchasing from Akron or the City of Medina – and a large number of private wells serving the county's suburban-rural fringe. The transition zone between suburban development and active agriculture creates water quality challenges at the property line.
Medina County's private wells face both agricultural and septic system contamination. According to the Ohio EPA's 2024 private well testing summary, 12% of wells tested in the county exceeded the nitrate MCL of 10 mg/L. Septic system density in unincorporated areas without sewer service contributes bacteria and nitrogen to shallow groundwater, particularly in areas with clay soils that impede proper septic function.
The EPA's UCMR5 data shows low-level PFAS detections in the City of Medina's system. Medina County Airport has used AFFF firefighting foam, and PFAS has been detected in monitoring wells in the vicinity. A 2024 Ohio EPA report noted one public water system in the county with PFAS above the state's action level.
The divide between municipal and well water in Medina County is the biggest determinant of your water quality. Municipal systems test regularly and treat accordingly. Private wells do not, and the burden falls entirely on the homeowner.
Check your water for available monitoring data. If you are on a private well, baseline testing for nitrate, bacteria, and PFAS is a reasonable starting point. Our water filter guide covers options for well-water households. Pull your detailed report for any available trend data, and visit our Ohio page for statewide context.
Drinking water is one exposure route. These federal datasets also cover Medina County, OH.
The EPA places Medina 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 an area's radon potential from geology and existing indoor readings; they say nothing about a specific house. Testing is the only way to know your own level.
47% of homes in Medina County, OH were built before 1980, and 11% before 1950. Residential lead paint was banned in 1978, so housing age is the strongest available proxy for lead-paint exposure. This describes the county's housing stock, not any one home.
Modelled annual fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) in Medina County, OH averages 7.9 µg/m³, within the EPA's annual standard of 9 µg/m³. These are CDC modelled county estimates rather than readings from a specific monitor.
How radon zones work · Air quality by county · Lead exposure guide
15 public water systems serving Medina County, OH have EPA lead testing on record. The reported lead sample skews toward systems that already flagged a problem, so its exceedance rate is not directly comparable with other areas. 3 water systems serving Medina County, OH carry a health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violation.
| Most-cited violation type | Systems affected |
|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | 2 |
| Lead and Copper Rule Revisions | 2 |
Source: EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile tap sampling and EPA SDWIS Safe Drinking Water Act enforcement records, aggregated from the public water systems serving this county. Figures are counts of water systems, not a test of any individual home or tap.