Photo: Nyttend · Public domainLiving in Forest, OH: what to set up and who to call
The Forest Village water system reported one health-based violation to EPA in the last five years: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions), beginning Oct 2024. Forest has its own library, Forest-Jackson Public Library, at 102 W. Lima St.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Forest, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Forest.
Power comes from AEP Ohio
AEP Ohio (Ohio Power Co.), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Forest. Its homes paid an average of 19.0¢ per kWh in 2025, about $179 a month (its average across Ohio, for customers on its standard service). Ohio lets you buy power from another supplier; 60% of AEP Ohio’s home customers do, and AEP Ohio still delivers it.
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Forest Village water system
The Forest Village water system supplies almost all of Forest. It draws ground water and serves 1,354 people in all.
1 health-based violation reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions), beginning Oct 2024. 78% of the 7,966 systems serving 1,001–3,300 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2023–Dec 2025, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0 (EPA’s estimate). Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. OH3300312.
9 home internet providers serve Forest
99% of 720 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 81% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | Cable, Fiber | 96% | 1,000/500 |
| Frontier | Fiber | 79% | 7,000/7,000 |
| Hder Link | Fixed wireless | 100% | 500/500 |
| AT&T | Fixed wireless | 92% | 100/20 |
| Stanfield Technologies | Fixed wireless | 54% | 75/50 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 48% | 25/3 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Forest’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Forest.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Forest is in Riverdale Local School District.
BSchool gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2022; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Forest is in ZIP code 45843
ZIP codes where Forest residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Forest | ZIP’s residents in Forest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45843 | Forest, OH | 100% | 36% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Forest
Who supplies Forest’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The Forest Village water system (EPA ID OH3300312). It reported 1 health-based violation to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions). 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2023–Dec 2025), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Forest?
AEP Ohio (Ohio Power Co.), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 19.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Forest?
Spectrum, Frontier, Hder Link, AT&T, Stanfield Technologies, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Forest?
45843. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Forest in?
Riverdale Local School District.
How do I register to vote in Forest?
In Ohio you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before). Elections here are run by the Director, Hardin County Board of Elections. Check your registration at voterlookup.ohiosos.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.