Story
April 25, 2025
Ohio EPA Issues Water Advisory for Luckey After Testing Funded by Pulitzer Center
Country:
Project
The Legacy of Luckey
Workers and residents were told a Cold War weapons plant was safe. It wasn't.
Hours after The Blade published a Pulitzer Center-supported investigation Friday detailing how testing by the newspaper found high levels of radioactivity in the groundwater of the village of Luckey, the Ohio EPA issued a special “citizen advisory,” saying that the agency and the Ohio Department of Health would start sampling in the community next week.
“The results will be reviewed carefully, and any concerns will prompt immediate coordination with school officials, local government, and residents to determine the next steps,” the advisory, released Friday afternoon, said.
The Ohio EPA said it would test “key community locations,” including Eastwood Local Schools, the Pemberville Public Library, and two branch libraries in Luckey and Stony Ridge.
The Ohio EPA said it had communicated with the Eastwood Schools superintendent, the Pemberville Public Library, and the mayor of Luckey “to provide updates and assure them that there is currently no cause for alarm.”
The agency said that The Blade’s testing showed “some contaminant detections; however, all levels remain well within state and federal drinking water standards.”
As a nonprofit journalism organization, we depend on your support to fund more than 170 reporting projects every year on critical global and local issues. Donate any amount today to become a Pulitzer Center Champion and receive exclusive benefits!
