
Author
Evan Brooks
Data Editor
Data editor for the ByCounty Network, responsible for methodology documentation, source review, and editorial QA on county-level reports built from public datasets.
Evan Brooks is the editorial byline for ByCounty Network data review, methodology maintenance, and source attribution across the network.
The role is the data-editor role, not the subject-matter-expert role. ByCounty designs data pipelines that pull each dataset, documents the methodology behind every composite score and ranking, spot-checks generated narratives against the underlying statistics before publication, and records methodology changes. The sites are transparent data utilities, not professional advisory services.
When a feature genuinely requires domain expertise — a public-health analyst weighing in on CDC measure choice, a CPA reviewing a property-tax explainer — ByCounty uses a named co-byline reviewer rather than presenting the data editor as a domain-credentialed professional. The reviewer commitment for each site is documented on that site's editorial-standards page, including the recruit status when no domain reviewer is currently in place.
Every statistic on the site is traceable to a primary source, every methodology decision is documented, and every page lists a "Last reviewed" date where editorial review applies.
Coverage areas
- EPA SDWIS drinking-water compliance
- EPA ATTAINS Clean Water Act §303(d) watershed assessment
- EPA Water Quality Portal monitoring records
- USGS NWIS streamflow snapshot data
Articles by Evan on Water By County
Understanding Drinking Water Quality by County
A data-driven analysis of drinking water quality across all US counties. How EPA SDWIS data reveals geographic patterns, grade distributions, and what drives water quality differences.
EPA Water Violations: What They Mean for Your Tap Water
What EPA drinking water violations actually mean, the different types of violations, which counties have the most, and what you can do if your county has a low water quality score.
Best and Worst Counties for Water Quality in America
The 25 best and 25 worst counties for drinking water quality in the United States, ranked by EPA compliance data. Geographic patterns, common factors, and what it means for residents.
Rural vs Urban Water Quality by County
How drinking water quality differs between rural and urban counties in America. Comparing EPA compliance data, population-normalized violation rates, and scores by county characteristics.
Water Quality Grade Distribution Across US Counties
How many US counties earn A, B, C, D, or F grades for drinking water quality? A complete breakdown of the national grade distribution using EPA SDWIS data.