Private Water Systems

What is a private water system?

Many residents of Warren County rely on private water systems to provide their drinking water because Public Water is not available to their property. Private Water Systems are:

• Wells
• Springs
• Ponds
• Cisterns and hauled water storage tanks

A private water system provides water to less than 25 people a day. This usually includes all residences and some small businesses not served by a public water system. Systems that regularly serve an average of at least twenty-five individuals daily at least sixty days each year are regulated by the Ohio EPA. Any work on a private water system needs to be conducted by a registered water system contractor who is registered with the Ohio Department of Health.

What do I need to do to have a private water system?

In Warren County, new private water systems which include wells, cisterns, hauled water storage tanks, and ponds used for drinking water, are regulated by the Ohio Private Water Systems Regulations. An Application/Permit for a Private Water System must be issued by the Warren County Health District (WCHD) prior to installing or altering a private water system. Our Environmental Health Staff issues installation permits and conducts inspections of all new and altered (repaired or upgraded) private water systems within Warren County to assure the installation was completed correctly and to code.

What happens after a private water system is installed?

Upon completion of a new water system, a environmental public health sanitarian will conduct an inspection to ensure the private water system was installed in accordance with the Ohio Private Water Systems Regulations.

In addition, a water sample needs to be collected by the health department to determine whether the water is safe to drink. It is being tested for the presence of Total Coliform bacteria. Prior to the water sample collection, the private water system needs to be properly disinfected if it does not have continuous disinfection as part of the system, Disinfection/Shock Chlorination of Wells.

A new private water system is approved by WCHD when the appropriate required paperwork is obtained from the water contractor and an acceptable water sample has been obtained from the residence.

Water Samples

Water samples can be collected on Monday and Wednesday afternoons for new private water systems with a new permit and for private water system owners who are curious about the quality of their drinking water. There is a fee associated with the collection and testing of the water for any existing water system. The first sample on a new system is part of the permit fee. Water sample requests can be made by contacting the office at 513-695-1220.

Technical Assistance

Our environmental health staff also provides technical assistance and guidance to homeowners who may be having problems with their existing water system such as low yield of water, discoloration or a bad odor. If needed, an alteration/replacement of the private water system may be recommended. WCHD staff then works with the registered private water contractor to determine the problem and discuss possible solutions.

Hauled Water Storage Tanks

Residences that utilize hauled water storage tanks are re-supplied by private water haulers. The Warren County Combined Health District registers Private Water Haulers as part of the Private Water Program on an annual basis.