Aqua Ohio says Marion’s water “meets state and federal requirements,” but residents have smelled, felt, and seen something different: earthy, musty odors; brown or discolored water; stained laundry; damaged appliances; and the recurring expense of bottled water. In late 2025 and early 2026, Aqua shifted treatment—relying more on well water, dosing with activated carbon, and […]
Written by marionwatch-investigates
Aqua Ohio has officially issued a “Consumer Notice of Potential Lead” to Marion residents, attributing the warning to a recent water main break. However, a timeline of independent testing and a massive surge in resident complaints suggest the contamination is not a localized accident, but the result of a chemical destabilization that began weeks—if not […]
Written by marionwatch-investigates
For months, the residents of Marion have been told the same five words by Aqua Ohio: “The water is safe to drink.”. However, a newly analyzed laboratory report from January 12, 2026 conducted by Pure H2O, tells a far more complex and troubling story. While the utility remains technically within the legal bounds of the […]
Written by marionwatch-investigates
On a recent episode of The Watchmen’s ’Report, With Marion Watch, hosts Cody Higley and Jason Foreman were joined by a special guest to address a topic on everyone’s mind: the quality of the water flowing into Marion homes. Lizzy Mazer, the owner of Pure H2O of Ohio, joined the broadcast to offer her expertise […]
Written by marionwatch-investigates
Victory’s Shadow: The Toxic Legacy of the Scioto Ordnance Plant Establishment and Displacement In 1942, the urgency of World War II arrived in Marion County, Ohio, not with a battle, but with an eviction notice. The U.S. Army seized more than 12,500 acres across Grand Prairie, Scott, Claridon, and Marion townships to construct the Scioto […]
Written by marionwatch-investigates
Weighing 80 tons and measuring 140′ in length and 7′ in diameter, the Baker Wood Preserving Company installed two of these mammoth tubes at its factory located at the northwest corner of Kenton Avenue (aka State Route 309) and Holland Road in January 1937. Each tube would be loaded with 800 untreated wooden railroad ties, […]
Written by marionwatch-investigates
The city of Marion will be receiving a sizeable forgivable loan to upgrade its Water Pollution Control Center and leachate system. At the council meeting held on the 22nd of December, it was announced that the city of Columbus had somewhat secretively received a large settlement of an undisclosed amount and, together with the state […]
Written by marionwatch-investigates
If you thought the water issues were over, check your taps. Following a weekend of foul “organic” odors and a sudden switch from river to well water, Aqua Ohio has initiated an emergency system-wide flush of Marion’s water mains. While the City of Marion’s newest update claims this will “expedite purging” the system, in the […]
Written by marionwatch-investigates
Residents of Marion woke up this weekend to a familiar but unsettling phenomenon: tap water that smelled wrong. While officially dismissed as a harmless “organic odor,” the event triggered a significant operational scramble at the Aqua Ohio treatment plant, forcing a sudden switch in the city’s water source from the river to groundwater wells. The […]