Water system
Jefferson Co. W&s District- J
EPA ID OH4101003 · Jefferson County · 896 people served · owned by a local government
Jefferson Co. W&s District- J buys its water from Mingo Junction.
The system's record
- Active wells
- 2
- Serves
- 3,350 people · Jefferson County
- EPA ID
- OH4101612
About this area's water Mingo Junction
Did you know
- George Washington recorded visiting Mingo Town here in 1770, describing about 20 cabins and 70 inhabitants of the Iroquois Confederation; the same spot was the launch point for the ill-fated Crawford expedition in 1782.
- The village's North production well is drilled inside the JSW Steel mill complex, and the South well sits just west of the marina, so Mingo Junction's drinking water comes out of the ground under an active steel plant…
- Until 2003 the village drew on a Ranney collector well that Ohio EPA classified as a surface-water intake; it was deactivated on March 5, 2003, and the system has been all drilled wells since.
- Population has tracked a single mill: 371 in 1880, 5,030 at the 1930 peak, 3,347 in 2020.
- Mingo Junction keeps a decade of water quality reports, 2016 through 2025, in a public Google Drive folder linked off its water department page, which is more than many villages its size publish.
History6
- 1869Mingo Junction was founded when an iron works was started on the site of the old Mingo Town settlement on the Ohio River.
- 1900The village's only manufacturing plant was a steel mill owned by Carnegie Steel Company; the mill site is still where the village's North production well sits today.
- 1930Population peaked at 5,030 and has fallen since to 3,347 in the 2020 census, shrinking the customer base that pays for the water plant.
- 2003The village's Ranney collector well, which Ohio EPA classified as a surface-water intake, was deactivated on March 5, 2003, leaving the system on drilled wells only.
- 2016-2017Health-based MCL violations for total trihalomethanes in three consecutive quarterly compliance periods (Q4 2016, Q1 2017, Q2 2017), with running annual averages of 0.082, 0.082 and 0.081 mg/L…
- 2024In December 2024 the village failed to make its 2023 Consumer Confidence Report adequately available and the report was short on required data; the village says availability was corrected and…
Treatment & pressure
How it is treated
A conventional lime-softening surface-style plant run on well water. EPA's SDWIS treatment record for the Mingo Junction WTP lists coagulation, flocculation, rapid sand filtration, lime-soda ash softening, pH adjustment, a polyphosphate corrosion inhibitor, post gaseous chlorination and…
Source: data.epa.govdrive.google.comdata.epa.gov
Water pressure
Not published. The CCRs do not discuss distribution pressure.
What it costs
Not published online. The village water department page gives payment methods, drop-box locations and a bill-pay portal (mingojct.ohiobillpay.com) but no rate schedule, and no…
Source: mingojct.us
Water quality & impurities10
| Contaminant | Level | Limit | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Range 27.3-57.1 ppb. No violation in 2024, but the system exceeded the 80 ppb MCL in 2016-2017, so this remains its… | 57.1 ppb | 80 | 2024 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Range 4.4-5.4 ppb. | 5.4 ppb | 60 | 2024 |
| Total Chlorine Range 0.63-1.06 ppm. | 0.95 ppm | MRDL=4 | 2024 |
| Fluoride Range 0.94-1.05 ppm; water additive plus natural deposits. | 0.99 ppm | 4 | 2024 |
| Barium The CCR prints the level in ppb but the MCL as '2', which is the ppm figure; the federal MCL is 2 ppm, i.e. 2,000 ppb.… | 32.3 ppb | 2000 | 2024 |
| Chromium The CCR lists the typical source as discharge from steel and pulp mills, notable given the North well sits inside the… | 1.4 ppb | 100 | 2024 |
| Nitrate Single detection, well below the limit. | 0.36 ppm | 10 | 2024 |
| Dichloroethane A volatile organic detection at under 1 percent of the MCL; consistent with Ohio EPA's high-susceptibility rating for… | 0.06 ppb | 7 | 2024 |
| Lead (90th percentile) 0 of 20 samples exceeded the action level. | 0 ppb | AL=15 | 2024 |
| Copper (90th percentile) 0 of 20 samples exceeded the action level. | 0.021 ppm | AL=1.3 | 2024 |
Source: drive.google.comdata.epa.gov
EPA compliance record · Jefferson Co. W&s District- J
Lead at the tap: 90th-percentile result 0.8 ppb in 2025 (action level 15 ppb).
EPA health-based violations since 2015:
- 2017Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) · above the legal limit on average · measured 0.087 MG/L (limit 0.08 MG/L) · returned to compliance
3 violations of any kind logged since 2020: 1 for required testing that was missed or reported late; 2 for a report, record or notice that was missing, late or incomplete (the yearly water quality report, a public notice, lead line records).
EPA compliance record · Mingo Junction (treats the water)
Lead at the tap: 90th-percentile result 1.4 ppb in 2025 (action level 15 ppb).
EPA health-based violations since 2015:
- 2017Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) · above the legal limit on average · measured 0.082 MG/L (limit 0.08 MG/L) · returned to compliance
- 2016Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) · above the legal limit on average · measured 0.082 MG/L (limit 0.08 MG/L) · returned to compliance
EPA's count of 3 includes 1 repeat quarterly violation of the problems listed.
2 violations of any kind logged since 2020: 2 for a report, record or notice that was missing, late or incomplete (the yearly water quality report, a public notice, lead line records).
Supply stress
The 2025 CCR states that the Village of Mingo Junction is considered a 'high susceptibility PWS' and that, per an earlier Ohio EPA source-water study, the aquifer supplying the village has a high susceptibility to contamination. The two production wells are only about seventy feet deep in the Ohio River valley, and the North well is…
Source: drive.google.comdata.epa.gov
Sewers
Sanitary
Village-operated wastewater department at 501 Commercial Street, run under EPA permit #OPD00010*MD. The village has posted wet-weather sewage overflow warning signs at the Mingo Marina shelter house and on the Cross Creek bank near the old Mingo Stadium, and Ohio EPA-mandated signage at its biosolids farm site, which indicates both…
Storm
Not documented. The village publishes nothing on storm sewers or on whether the collection system is combined or separate.
Source: mingojct.us
Sourcesverified
Compiled from the utility's own reports and public records, then independently re-checked against primary sources.
Present in 1 ZIP code
Serves
No ZIP code has Jefferson Co. W&s District- J on record as its main water supplier.
Also present in 1 more ZIP code
- 43938 · Mingo Junction2% of residents
Population-weighted resident shares; a ZIP code can have more than one system on record. Recomputed from each ZIP's own system list, not from the map's cached footprint.
Buys from · Sells to
Jefferson Co. W&s District- J buys its water from Mingo Junction.
No other system is on record buying water from Jefferson Co. W&s District- J.
What the records show about Jefferson Co. W&s District- J
Who runs it
EPA's record describes Jefferson Co. W&s District- J as owned by a local government. It has 289 service connections and serves 896 people.
EPA classes it as a community water system, one that serves the same residents all year.
Its office telephone on EPA's record is 740-283-8500.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), water system record.
How the water is treated
Jefferson Co. W&s District- J buys water that Mingo Junction treats first, so the steps that count are the seller's. EPA's treatment table registers these steps for Mingo Junction: corrosion control, coagulation and settling, chlorine disinfection, fluoridation, lime softening, and sand or media filtration.
The list is what each system registered with EPA for treatment plants EPA still shows as active, and it can lag a plant upgrade.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) treatment table (EPA Envirofacts, pulled September 2026).
Violations
EPA counts 1 health-based violation for Jefferson Co. W&s District- J since 2015. Health-based means a contaminant above its legal limit or a required treatment step not carried out. It falls into 1 separate problem (one contaminant or rule in one year); the table lists it.
EPA logs 3 violations of any kind since 2020: 1 for required testing that was missed or reported late; 2 for a report, record or notice that was missing, late or incomplete (the yearly water quality report, a public notice, lead line records).
| Year | Contaminant or rule | Kind | Measured | Limit | Status in EPA's record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) | above the legal limit on average | 0.087 mg/L | 0.08 mg/L | returned to compliance |
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) violation records: health-based violations with compliance periods beginning in 2015 or later, all violations from 2020 or later (EPA Envirofacts, pulled September 2026).
Lead and copper at the tap
In the sampling period ending December 2025, the 90th-percentile lead result at Jefferson Co. W&s District- J was 0.8 ppb, under both the current 15 ppb action level and the 10 ppb level that applies from 2027.
The highest result on file is 1.4 ppb, in the period ending December 2023.
EPA has 8 sampling periods on file for Jefferson Co. W&s District- J since 2016, the first ending in 2017; no period was above 10 ppb.
Every water system has to inventory its service lines, the pipes from the main to each building. In the inventory Jefferson Co. W&s District- J sent EPA, 283 lines are counted.
| Material | Lines |
|---|---|
| Lead | 0 |
| Galvanized, needing replacement | 0 |
| Unknown material | 283 |
| Not lead | 0 |
| All lines | 283 |
Systems sample taps in the homes most likely to have lead pipes or solder. The 90th-percentile result is the level nine in ten of the sampled homes were at or below. Lead comes mostly from service lines and house plumbing, not the source water, so a low result for the system does not clear an old house.
EPA's dashboard status for this inventory: reported all required service line types.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) lead and copper 90th-percentile results (EPA Envirofacts), sampling periods ending 2016 or later; EPA's service line inventory dashboard, Ohio's 2026 Q2 submission.
PFAS
The water Jefferson Co. W&s District- J buys is treated by Mingo Junction, so the results below are Mingo Junction's.
Ohio EPA's own statewide sampling tested 1 plant of Mingo Junction (latest sample June 2020). Not one of the six PFAS tested (PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and PFBS) was detected.
PFAS are the 'forever chemicals' from firefighting foam, plating shops and non-stick coatings. Results are for water leaving the plant, not your tap.
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data (final release, August 2026); Ohio EPA statewide PFAS sampling, 2019 to 2021, and its sampling status map.
Disinfection byproducts
Chlorine that disinfects water also reacts with organic matter to form byproducts. Two groups have federal limits: total trihalomethanes (TTHM, 80 µg/L) and five haloacetic acids (HAA5, 60 µg/L), judged on running yearly averages at each sampling site.
For TTHM, the average of Jefferson Co. W&s District- J's samples in 2019, the last year it was sampled, was 56.8 µg/L. The worst yearly average was 75.9 µg/L and the highest single sample was 157 µg/L, from 52 samples taken from 2012 to 2019.
For HAA5, the average in the last year sampled was 2.5 µg/L. The worst yearly average was 30.7 µg/L and the highest single sample was 56.7 µg/L, from 50 samples.
| Byproduct | Limit | Latest yearly average | Worst yearly average | Highest sample | Samples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TTHM | 80 µg/L | 56.8 µg/L (2019) | 75.9 µg/L | 157 µg/L | 52 |
| HAA5 | 60 µg/L | 2.5 µg/L | 30.7 µg/L | 56.7 µg/L | 50 |
A yearly average of 0 means nothing was detected in that year's samples. EPA's file stops at 2019; Ohio EPA's Drinking Water Watch has newer results.
Source: EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance monitoring data, 2012 to 2019, distribution-system samples (non-detects counted as zero).
Nitrate, arsenic and radioactivity
The water Jefferson Co. W&s District- J buys is treated by Mingo Junction, so the results below are Mingo Junction's.
Nitrate: the highest of 8 samples was 0.43 mg/L (as nitrogen) in 2012; in 2019, the last year sampled, nitrate was not detected. No sample was over the limit of 10 mg/L. Nitrate above 10 is unsafe for infants.
Arsenic was not detected in 3 samples (limit 10 µg/L).
| Contaminant | Samples | Highest result | Limit | Samples over limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate (as nitrogen) | 8 | 0.43 mg/L | 10 mg/L | 0 |
| Arsenic | 3 | not detected | 10 µg/L | 0 |
Measured in finished water: at the plant's entry points and in the distribution system; raw well and intake samples are left out. Non-detects count as zero.
Source: EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance monitoring data, 2012 to 2019, finished water of Mingo Junction.
Solvents and fuels
The water Jefferson Co. W&s District- J buys is treated by Mingo Junction, so the results below are Mingo Junction's.
EPA's file holds results for all six solvent and fuel compounds it checked. Benzene, carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, and vinyl chloride were not detected in 3 samples each.
| Compound | Limit | Samples | Detected in | Highest result | Samples over limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benzene | 5 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
| Carbon tetrachloride | 5 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
| 1,2-dichloroethane | 5 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE) | 5 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
| Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) | 5 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
| Vinyl chloride | 2 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
"Not detected" means the lab's result was below what its method can measure, not that the compound is absent. Non-detects count as zero in the highest-result column.
Source: EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance monitoring data, 2012 to 2019, finished water of Mingo Junction.
Farm chemicals and metals
The water Jefferson Co. W&s District- J buys is treated by Mingo Junction, so the results below are Mingo Junction's.
EPA's file holds results for 8 of the nine herbicides and metals it checked. Detected: barium in 2 of 3 samples, highest 30.8 µg/L (limit 2,000). Not detected: atrazine, alachlor, chromium, cadmium, mercury, selenium, and thallium, in 3 samples each.
| Substance | Kind | Limit | Samples | Detected in | Highest result | Samples over limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atrazine | Farm chemical | 3 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
| Alachlor | Farm chemical | 2 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
| Chromium | Metal | 100 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
| Cadmium | Metal | 5 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
| Barium | Metal | 2,000 µg/L | 3 | 2 of 3 | 30.8 µg/L | 0 |
| Mercury | Metal | 2 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
| Selenium | Metal | 50 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
| Thallium | Metal | 2 µg/L | 3 | 0 of 3 | not detected | 0 |
Non-detects count as zero in the highest-result column.
Source: EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance monitoring data, 2012 to 2019, finished water of Mingo Junction.
Bacteria in the pipes
From 2012 to 2019, 0 of 96 routine total coliform samples taken in the distribution system at Jefferson Co. W&s District- J tested positive (0%); in 2019, the last year on file, 0 of 12 did.
A positive coliform test is a warning sign, not a violation by itself. E. coli is a sign that human or animal waste may have reached the water. Coliform counts are routine samples only; E. coli counts include repeat samples.
Source: EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance monitoring data, 2012 to 2019, distribution-system presence/absence tests for total coliform and E. coli.
Fluoride
The Ohio Department of Health's report to the CDC (My Water's Fluoride) says Jefferson Co. W&s District- J buys its water from Mingo Junction, a system that adjusts the fluoride level to the recommended level for preventing tooth decay.
EPA's treatment table lists fluoridation among the steps at Mingo Junction, which treats the water Jefferson Co. W&s District- J buys.
Measured fluoride: 0.81 mg/L on average leaving the plants of Mingo Junction, which supplies Jefferson Co. W&s District- J, in 2018 (in the range dentists aim for); samples ran from 0.81 to 1.02 mg/L across 3 samples in 2012 to 2019.
The recommended level for preventing tooth decay is 0.7 mg/L; the federal limit is 4 mg/L. The treatment list is what each system registered with EPA and can lag a plant upgrade.
Source: CDC My Water's Fluoride (fluoridation status as reported by the Ohio Department of Health, fetched September 2026); EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) treatment table; EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance monitoring data, 2012 to 2019, entry-point fluoride samples.
How well the service area is mapped
EPA estimated the service area of Jefferson Co. W&s District- J with a computer model rather than drawing it from the utility's map, so its edges are approximate.
Source: EPA Service Area Boundaries; resident estimate by this atlas from ZIP-code overlap.
On the map
Show this system's territory on the map — 1 ZIP code in all.
Sources
U.S. EPA SDWIS and Community Water System Service Area Boundaries (v3, 2026), Ohio EPA primacy data, 2020 census blocks: the system serving most residents, traced through purchases to the treating utility; Ohio EPA 2023 Sewer and Water Rate Survey (Ohio State, May 2025) for household bills; Ohio EPA DEFA loan awards since 2016 for the loans paragraph · EPA SDWIS · EPA service area boundaries · Ohio EPA drinking water · Ohio EPA rate survey
EPA's own record for this system: Enforcement and Compliance History report for OH4101003 (EPA ECHO).
