waterbycounty
EPA SDWIS

White County Water Quality

White County, Illinois

Water Grade

C

Water Score

59.0

Violations

1

State Rank

#33

of 102 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

C

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

59/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

1

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

7.2%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: White County

Water Verdict

White County receives a fair water quality assessment with a grade of C and a score of 59.0 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

White County has recorded 1 health-based violation, meaning the water system experienced at least one exceedance of federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements. At 7.2 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is moderate and suggests recurring water quality challenges.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in White 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 1 recorded health violation, 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

White County has better water quality than the average county in Illinois. Its water score is 11.2 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

32.3%

116 of 359 assessed

Moderate concern

Top Impairment Causes

  • 1

    MERCURY

  • 2

    PHOSPHORUS, TOTAL

  • 3

    DISSOLVED OXYGEN

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

10

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

2.5K

2,520 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Inorganics, Minor, Metals
  • Nutrient

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).

Live USGS Streamgage

River & Stream Conditions

Current Discharge

7,320cfs

May 14, 6:30 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

242%

Well above typical

Primary Streamgage

LITTLE WABASH RIVER AT CARMI, IL

USGS site
03381500
Drainage area
3,102 sq mi
Long-term mean
3,025 cfs

One representative streamgage (the one with the largest drainage area in the county). Many counties have multiple gauges — this view summarizes the primary one. The long-term mean is the full-record annual average; "% of typical" compares the latest reading against that average.

Improve your water quality at home

Berkey filters remove 99.9%+ of contaminants from tap water.

Shop Berkey →

Sponsored

Test your tap water

Tap Score provides professional mail-in water testing.

Get Tested →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water quality in White County, Illinois?
White County, Illinois has a drinking-water quality grade of C with a score of 59.0/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 1 health-based drinking water violation over the past 5 years. Watershed health, monitoring records, and live streamflow are reported separately on this page.
Are there any water violations in White County?
White County has 1 health-based drinking water violation 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 White County?
EPA ATTAINS assessments under Clean Water Act §303(d) indicate 32.3% of White County's 359 assessed water bodies are classified as impaired (116 impaired). The top reported causes are MERCURY, PHOSPHORUS, TOTAL, DISSOLVED OXYGEN. 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 White County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 2,520 measurements from 10 monitoring sites in White County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Inorganics, Minor, Metals, Nutrient. 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.
What's happening with rivers in White County right now?
White County's primary USGS streamgage on the LITTLE WABASH RIVER is currently reading 7,320 cubic feet per second — 242% of the long-term mean of 3,025.3 cfs. This is well above typical — often a signal of recent precipitation or storm runoff. For genuine real-time data, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does White County water compare to the Illinois average?
White County's SDWIS water quality score of 59.0/100 is higher than the Illinois state average of 47.8. The average water quality grade across Illinois is D, based on data from 102 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in White County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, White County has a water quality grade of C (59.0/100). 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).
Does White County have clean drinking water?
White County has 1 health-based drinking water violation according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 59.0/100 and grade C, the county's drinking water has had some compliance issues but continues to be monitored. Note: drinking-water compliance speaks to the public water system, not necessarily to the watershed itself — check the Watershed Health zone for ATTAINS §303(d) data.
How does White County rank for water quality in Illinois?
White County ranks #33 out of 102 counties in Illinois by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 59.0/100, 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

Monroe County

Illinois

C

58.7

Water score

Lawrence County

Illinois

C

58.3

Water score

Montgomery County

Illinois

C

58.3

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.

Live streamflow from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) — continuous discharge measurements from the largest-drainage gauge in each county, compared against the full-record long-term annual mean.

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

Explore more data for White County

Property TaxCost of LivingCrime RateIncomeHealthSchoolsDisaster RiskWeatherCounty Score