Top 25 cities with the most EPA water violations

The EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System tracks violations at every public water system in the country. A violation means a public water system failed to meet a federal standard — either by exceeding a maximum contaminant level, failing to monitor, or failing to notify residents. Here are the cities with the worst records.

A violation doesn't always mean your water is dangerous right now — but it does mean your public water system failed to meet a federal standard at some point. Health-based violations (exceeding a maximum contaminant level) are the most serious. Monitoring violations mean the public water system failed to test and report as required.

Importantly, EPA legal limits are set based on what's technically and economically feasible — not always what independent health scientists consider safe. A system with zero violations can still have water quality concerns.

City-wide rankings show the pattern — your specific water system may be better or worse. Enter your ZIP for a full EPA report on your exact public water system.