Loveland Water Plant. Photo courtesy the City of Loveland.
LOVELAND, OHIO — The Ohio EPA (OEPA) recently announced $1.3 million in principal loan forgiveness funding for the City of Loveland for complete design of treatment for Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in its sourcewater.
PFAS are a category of manufactured chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. PFAS are found in numerous consumer products like nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, cleaning products, shampoo, and makeup to name a few examples. During the manufacturing discharge process of some of these items, PFAS can enter water resources.
The city provides water service through a groundwater aquifer to City of Loveland residents, as well as limited parts of Symmes Township and Miami Township.
Although the City of Loveland currently provides water that satisfies all current state and federal Environmental Protection Agency standards, the City has continued to advance its efforts to ensure future compliance with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) for PFAS.
The USEPA has identified six PFAS to be regulated as part of the new rule. Of the six, one PFOS, has been identified in the City of Loveland’s sourcewater to be above the proposed Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 4 parts per trillion (ppt).
The USEPA has defined a timeline for the implementation of this new rule, which is as follows:
- Within 3 years of rule establishment (2024-2027):
- Initial monitoring must be complete.
- Starting 3 years following rule establishment (2027-2029):
- Results of initial monitoring must be in Consumer Confidence Reports (i.e. Annual Water Quality Reports).
- Regular monitoring for compliance must begin, and results of compliance monitoring must be included in Consumer Confidence Reports.
- Public notification for monitoring and testing violations must begin.
- Starting 7 years following rule establishment (Beginning in 2031):
- Comply with all Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL).
- Public notification for MCL violations must begin.
In anticipation of USEPA’s new rule in March 2023, city staff met with an engineering firm that specializes in public water systems to get ahead of the issue. From that meeting, a proposal was evaluated, and a contract was secured to evaluate the city’s water treatment facility and make recommendations for how the facility may need to be modified to treat PFAS levels at the new NPDWR levels. City Council authorized the study at its meeting held Nov. 28, 2023. The study was completed in June 2024 with funding from the OEPA. Following the study the City worked with the OEPA to finalize the General Plan, a requirement to qualify for future funding. The General Plan was ultimately approved in May 2025, paving the way for potential funding for the design.
In Late July 2025, the OEPA announced that the City’s application for principle loan forgiveness funding for design was approved granting the City $1.3 million through the Water Supply Revolving Account (WSRLA) program.
“We are thankful to the Ohio EPA for this funding, which allows the City of Loveland to move forward with the engineering and design work needed to remove PFAS from our water system. Loveland is working toward meeting the new standards, and this funding helps move us closer to compliance by the deadline,” said Mayor Kathy Bailey.
The City has already conducted a review of proposals from qualified engineering firms and will enter into a contract soon. The City will continue to explore all opportunities for additional funding for the future construction of the improvements.
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