PICKAWAY COUNTY, Ohio – Sunset Mobile Home Park, already known for a troubling record of health and safety issues, is back under scrutiny. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a new Notice of Violation (NOV) to the park’s public water system after dangerous levels of manganese were detected in residents’ drinking water.
The violation letter, dated September 19, 2025, cites Sunset Mobile Home Park, owned by James Hayes of Orient, for exceeding both the secondary drinking water standard (0.05 mg/L) and the U.S. EPA’s Lifetime Health Advisory Level (HAL) for manganese (0.3 mg/L) during August 2025.
According to monitoring reports, manganese levels at the park’s treatment system exceeded the health advisory threshold for two consecutive weeks and violated secondary standards an additional week.
A “Significant Deficiency”
In its letter, Ohio EPA classified the manganese exceedances as a “significant deficiency” in Sunset’s drinking water system, pointing to operational failures in the park’s permanganate feed equipment.
“Exceeding the HAL for manganese in finished drinking water is considered a significant deficiency… and has the potential to cause an unacceptable risk to health,” wrote Mathias Wagner, Environmental Specialist with Ohio EPA’s Division of Drinking and Ground Waters.
Health officials note that while manganese is a natural element and an essential nutrient at low levels, excessive exposure has been linked to neurological and behavioral effects, particularly in children. Some studies also suggest potential impacts on reproductive health.
Pattern of Problems
This isn’t the first time Sunset Mobile Home Park has been called out by regulators. The park has a documented history of drinking water violations, safety complaints, and management failures.
Ohio EPA is now requiring Sunset to respond in writing within 30 days, outlining a corrective action plan to bring its water system back into compliance. Failure to comply could result in civil or administrative penalties under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 6109.
Risk to Residents
Manganese contamination in drinking water may not draw the same attention as lead or PFAS, but the risks are real. The U.S. EPA warns that sensitive populations, including children, are especially vulnerable.
Residents at Sunset Mobile Home Park—many of whom rely entirely on the park’s water system—are now facing renewed questions about the safety of the water coming from their taps.
What Happens Next
Sunset Mobile Home Park must immediately adjust treatment operations to reduce manganese levels, or face escalating enforcement from Ohio EPA.
The agency’s letter makes clear: “Failure to comply… may result in a civil or administrative penalty.”
For now, families at Sunset are left with uncertainty—and once again, a stark reminder of how fragile the safety of their drinking water really is.
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