Evansville drinks from the Ohio River — one of the most industrialized waterways in America — and PFAS contamination from the regional airport adds another layer of concern. Here’s what southwestern Indiana’s largest city needs to know about its tap water.
Where Evansville Gets Its Water
The Evansville Water and Sewer Utility draws its drinking water from the Ohio River, serving approximately 145,000 customers across the city and surrounding Vanderburgh County. The treatment plant on the river’s north bank processes millions of gallons daily through conventional treatment: coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection.
The Ohio River is a workhorse — it provides drinking water for roughly 5 million people across multiple states. But it’s also a working river. By the time it reaches Evansville in southwestern Indiana, it’s collected discharges from Pittsburgh’s industrial corridor, Cincinnati’s metro area, Louisville, and hundreds of smaller communities and industrial facilities along the way.
The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) monitors water quality throughout the river’s 981-mile length. Their data consistently shows detectable levels of industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agricultural runoff, and other pollutants — though typically at concentrations that treatment can handle.
The PFAS Problem at Evansville Regional Airport
Evansville Regional Airport (EVV) used aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for firefighting training over many years, as virtually all airports did. That foam contained PFAS compounds, and those compounds have contaminated soil and groundwater at and near the airport.
Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has been involved in PFAS assessment at the airport site. Testing of monitoring wells and nearby private wells has shown PFAS detections. [NEEDS VERIFICATION: specific PFAS concentrations detected near EVV and current remediation status]
The immediate concern is for residents with private wells near the airport. But there’s a broader question about whether PFAS-contaminated groundwater migrates toward the Ohio River or other surface water features that could eventually affect source water quality.
Beyond the airport, PFAS can enter the Ohio River from numerous upstream sources — other airports, military installations, industrial facilities, and wastewater treatment plants that receive PFAS-containing waste. The river integrates contamination from its entire upstream watershed.
Industrial Chemical Legacy
Evansville’s economy has historically leaned on manufacturing. Automotive parts, plastics, pharmaceuticals, and chemical production have all had a presence in the region. Some of these operations left behind contamination that persists in soil and groundwater.
Several sites in Vanderburgh County appear in EPA and IDEM contamination databases:
- Former manufacturing facilities with VOC contamination in groundwater
- Underground storage tank releases from gas stations and industrial properties
- Metal finishing operations that generated heavy metal waste
The Jacobsville neighborhood on Evansville’s east side has been the focus of environmental investigation related to industrial contamination. [NEEDS VERIFICATION: current status of environmental cleanup at Jacobsville and other contaminated sites in Evansville]
While these sites primarily affect groundwater rather than the Ohio River directly, they matter for any residents on private wells and for the overall environmental health of the community.
Coal and Power Generation
Southwestern Indiana is coal country. Coal-fired power plants in the region have historically been significant sources of air and water pollution. Coal ash — the byproduct of burning coal — contains arsenic, mercury, lead, selenium, and other heavy metals.
Coal ash storage ponds and landfills near waterways have been a national concern since the massive Kingston, Tennessee spill in 2008. Indiana has multiple coal ash sites that have been scrutinized for groundwater contamination. [NEEDS VERIFICATION: proximity of coal ash storage sites to Evansville’s water intake on the Ohio River]
Mercury deposition from coal-fired power plants also contributes to contamination of aquatic ecosystems, including the Ohio River’s fish populations — which is why fish consumption advisories exist for certain Ohio River species.
What the Data Shows
Evansville’s water utility publishes annual water quality reports showing compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act standards. Recent testing typically shows:
- Lead and copper — 90th percentile results below action levels, with corrosion control treatment in place
- Disinfection byproducts — TTHMs and HAA5 detected but below maximum contaminant levels
- Nitrates — present but well below the 10 mg/L MCL
- Atrazine and other herbicides — Ohio River systems commonly detect agricultural herbicides, particularly in spring; levels are typically below MCLs after treatment
- Total organic carbon — source water from the Ohio River carries higher organic loads than groundwater sources, which affects disinfection byproduct formation
EPA’s ECHO database can provide the compliance history for Evansville’s water system. PFAS testing results — particularly as the EPA’s 2024 MCLs take effect — will be the data to watch closely. [NEEDS VERIFICATION: Evansville’s most recent UCMR or voluntary PFAS testing results]
Flooding and Source Water Vulnerability
Evansville sits in the Ohio River floodplain, and flooding has been a recurring issue. Major floods — including devastating events in 1913, 1937, and more recently — can overwhelm wastewater treatment, mobilize contamination from industrial sites, and compromise source water quality.
During flood events, the Ohio River can carry dramatically higher loads of sediment, bacteria, and chemical contamination. Treatment plants have to adjust their processes, and in extreme cases, water quality can be temporarily compromised.
Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall events in the Ohio River basin, which means flood-related water quality risks are likely to grow.
What Evansville Residents Should Do
Request your water quality report. The annual Consumer Confidence Report is available from Evansville Water and Sewer Utility. Read it — don’t just file it.
Test your water if you’re on a private well. This is especially important if you live near the airport, near industrial sites, or near coal ash storage areas. Test for PFAS, VOCs, heavy metals, and bacteria at minimum.
Check your home’s plumbing. Older Evansville homes may have lead service lines, lead solder, or galvanized pipes. Run your cold water tap for 1-2 minutes before using it for drinking if the water has been sitting.
Consider point-of-use treatment. A reverse osmosis system provides the broadest protection — it handles lead, PFAS, nitrates, disinfection byproducts, and many other contaminants. Carbon block filters are a more affordable option for lead and chlorine.
Pay attention to flood advisories. During and after major flooding, follow any boil water advisories and be aware that source water quality may be temporarily affected.
If you’re concerned about your water quality, a certified water treatment professional can test your water and advise on solutions.