waterbycounty
EPA SDWIS

Butte County Water Quality

Butte County, California

Water Grade

C

Water Score

57.2

Violations

17

State Rank

#16

of 58 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

C

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

57.2/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

17

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

8.6%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Butte County

Water Verdict

Butte County receives a fair water quality assessment with a grade of C and a score of 57.2 out of 100. The water supply meets baseline federal standards, but there may be periods of elevated contaminant levels or infrastructure concerns worth monitoring.

Violation Context

Butte County has recorded 17 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 8.6 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Butte County meets baseline standards, but residents who are immunocompromised or have young children may want to use an NSF-certified water filter as a precaution. With 17 recorded health violations, staying informed about utility communications and boil-water notices is especially important. For long-term peace of mind, request your utility's latest Consumer Confidence Report and consider independent water testing if you have specific health concerns.

Regional Context

Butte County has better water quality than the average county in California. Its water score is 12.6 points higher than the state average, indicating stronger water system performance relative to neighboring counties.

Clean Water Act §303(d)

Watershed Health

Impaired Water Bodies

38.6%

27 of 70 assessed

Moderate concern

Top Impairment Causes

  • 1

    TOXICITY

  • 2

    MERCURY

  • 3

    POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBS)

Source: EPA ATTAINS · Reporting cycle 2022

Impairment is determined under the Clean Water Act §303(d): a water body is impaired when it fails to meet state-defined quality standards for designated uses (drinking, recreation, aquatic life). Assessment coverage varies by state — counties without assessed water bodies are not shown.

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

54

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

10K

10,345 total readings

Most Measured

  • Organics, Pesticide
  • Organics, Other
  • PFAS,Perfluorinated Alkyl Substance

Categories measured most frequently

Data from the EPA Water Quality Portal (WQP), aggregating monitoring records from federal, state, and tribal sources. Each measurement represents a single sample analyzed for a specific characteristic (e.g., E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen).

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water quality in Butte County, California?
Butte County, California has a drinking-water quality grade of C with a score of 57.2/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 17 health-based drinking water violations over the past 5 years. Watershed health, monitoring records, and live streamflow are reported separately on this page.
Are there any water violations in Butte County?
Butte County has 17 health-based drinking water violations recorded by the EPA over the past 5 years. Health-based violations indicate instances where contaminant levels exceeded EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Violations may have been resolved — check with your local water utility for current status.
How healthy are the watersheds in Butte County?
EPA ATTAINS assessments under Clean Water Act §303(d) indicate 38.6% of Butte County's 70 assessed water bodies are classified as impaired (27 impaired). The top reported causes are TOXICITY, MERCURY, POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBS). Impairment means the water body fails to meet state quality standards for at least one designated use — drinking water source, recreation, aquatic life, or fish consumption. Note: watershed impairment doesn't always translate to tap-water issues; treatment plants can remove most regulated contaminants.
How much water-quality monitoring happens in Butte County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 10,345 measurements from 54 monitoring sites in Butte County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Organics, Pesticide, Organics, Other, PFAS,Perfluorinated Alkyl Substance. Each measurement is a single sample analyzed for one characteristic (E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, etc.). High monitoring density means more scientific evidence behind any reported signal — it does not by itself indicate water quality.
How does Butte County water compare to the California average?
Butte County's SDWIS water quality score of 57.2/100 is higher than the California state average of 44.6. The average water quality grade across California is D, based on data from 58 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Butte County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Butte County has a water quality grade of C (57.2/100). This indicates moderate compliance. Some violations have been recorded but overall standards are maintained. The grade speaks to the public water system, not the watershed — for watershed-level concerns, see the Watershed Health zone. For the most up-to-date information, contact your local water utility or review your Consumer Confidence Report (CCR).
Why does Butte County have so many water violations?
Butte County has 17 health-based drinking water violations on record from the EPA SDWIS database. A higher violation count can result from aging infrastructure, underfunded water utilities, agricultural runoff contamination, or industrial pollution. Counties with more water systems may also see more violations simply due to scale. Residents concerned about water quality should consider independent water testing and home filtration systems.
How does Butte County rank for water quality in California?
Butte County ranks #16 out of 58 counties in California by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 57.2/100, it falls in the top third of counties statewide. The ranking reflects EPA SDWIS compliance only — not watershed impairment, monitoring density, or streamflow, which are tracked separately on this page.

Counties with Similar Water Quality

El Dorado County

California

C

57.1

Water score

Nevada County

California

C

58.7

Water score

Santa Barbara County

California

C

58.9

Water score

Data Sources

Drinking-water compliance data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) via the ECHO enforcement database. Scores reflect compliance history and health-based violation counts.

Watershed health and impaired-waterway data from the EPA ATTAINS Clean Water Act §303(d) assessments — state-reported, EPA-finalized.

Water-quality monitoring counts from the EPA Water Quality Portal (WQP) — federated USGS, EPA, and state agency sampling records over a rolling 5-year window.

Disclaimer: This data is informational only. It is not health, legal, or professional advice. For concerns about your specific water supply, contact your local water utility.

By Logan Johnson, Founder & Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Logan Johnson, Founder & Data Editor

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