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Water Quality

The health of our customers and community is of vital importance to us. Cleveland Water works hard to ensure that our customers receive the highest quality water at all times.

Water Quality Report

Informing our customers about water quality is an essential part of our commitment to providing superior customer service. The Water Quality Report details the testing results and quality of our drinking water. The report can be found here. The Average Chemical Values table is found on page 11 of the report.

Building Flushing After Non-Use

If a building has been closed or unused for an extended period of time, the water in the building’s plumbing system may no longer be safe due to water age and loss of chlorine residual. For most buildings, a simple way to correct this issue is by performing a full-building flush of both the cold and hot water plumbing. Flushing should be done before a building is re-opened. Flushing also extends to floors, wings, or sections of buildings that had limited or significantly reduced water use. Reduced water usage is when less than 50% of the normal volume of water is used.

We encourage building managers to develop a Water Management Plan for each building served by Cleveland Water following the CDC Guidance Template. Learn more in our blog and download flushing instructions below.

Residential Water Service Restoration Flushing Instructions – color | black & white | en español
Small building flushing instructions – color
Large building flushing instructions – color

Water Quality & Treatment

Our Source Water

Our source for drinking water is Lake Erie, which is one of the five Great Lakes. Over 90% of the water entering Lake Erie comes from the upstream lakes - Superior, Michigan and Huron - as well as the rivers and streams that flow into these lakes. The remaining water comes from rain and snow in the Lake Erie drainage basin, including the streams and rivers that flow into Lake Erie. As water travels over the land or through the ground, it can pick up substances that are harmful to humans.

We use surface water drawn from four intakes in Lake Erie. Our intake systems are located a considerable distance offshore to protect our water from possible contamination. Your water goes through a thorough treatment process that includes removing small debris, filtering, and disinfecting the water to meet drinking water quality standards. For more information, click here. Cleveland Water regularly collects and tests about 300 water samples a day to ensure that the water our customers receive exceeds federal and state drinking standards.

At Cleveland Water, we believe that we are all stewards of the lake. The first step in providing affordable, fresh water to your tap is keeping our source water clean. There are simple actions customers can take to help protect Lake Erie.

	Reduce the use of single-use plastics by replacing items like grocery bags, water bottles, and to-go utensils with reusable ones.
	Keep storm drains clear of debris and never put anything into a storm drain that may clog the sewer system or pollute the water.
	Plant trees, grass, or shrubs to prevent soil erosion and reduce impermeable surfaces.
	Dispose of hazardous household wastes such as fertilizers, pesticides, paints, paint thinners and motor oil properly.
	Get involved with local watershed groups as well as other organizations dedicated to protecting the environment

The health of our customers and community is of vital importance to us. Cleveland Water works hard to ensure that our customers receive the highest quality water at all times.

Drinking water in the United States is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To ensure your tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations limiting the amount of certain contaminants in your water. The Partnership for Safe Drinking Water (Partnership) is a voluntary effort between the EPA and 300 drinking water utilities across the United States.

As a member of the Partnership, Cleveland Water holds itself to higher water quality standards than those required by the EPA. We perform self-assessments of our water treatment operations, identify performance limiting factors, and take corrective actions to improve water quality. We have completed the required self-assessment and optimization programs at each of our four water treatment plants. This large effort ensures that our customers receive great-tasting water with a higher degree of protection.