waterbycounty
EPA SDWIS

Mercer County Water Quality

Mercer County, Kentucky

Water Grade

C

Water Score

53.9

Violations

3

State Rank

#75

of 118 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

C

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

53.9/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

3

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

11.4%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Mercer County

Water Verdict

Mercer County receives a below-average water quality assessment with a grade of C and a score of 53.9 out of 100. Residents should review their utility's Consumer Confidence Report and may want to consider additional water filtration for drinking.

Violation Context

Mercer County has recorded 3 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 11.4 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Mercer 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 3 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

Mercer County has poorer water quality than the average county in Kentucky. Its water score is 10.3 points lower than the state average, suggesting more challenges with contamination control or infrastructure than neighboring counties.

Live USGS Streamgage

River & Stream Conditions

Current Discharge

159cfs

May 14, 6:15 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

Long-term average not yet available.

Primary Streamgage

DIX RIVER AT DIX DAM NEAR BURGIN, KY

USGS site
03286200
Drainage area
439 sq mi

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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water quality in Mercer County, Kentucky?
Mercer County, Kentucky has a drinking-water quality grade of C with a score of 53.9/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 3 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 Mercer County?
Mercer County has 3 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.
What's happening with rivers in Mercer County right now?
Mercer County's primary USGS streamgage on the DIX RIVER is currently reading 159 cubic feet per second. Flow is within typical range for this gauge. For genuine real-time data, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Mercer County water compare to the Kentucky average?
Mercer County's SDWIS water quality score of 53.9/100 is lower than the Kentucky state average of 64.2. The average water quality grade across Kentucky is C, based on data from 118 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Mercer County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Mercer County has a water quality grade of C (53.9/100). 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 Mercer County have clean drinking water?
Mercer County has 3 health-based drinking water violations according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 53.9/100 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 Mercer County rank for water quality in Kentucky?
Mercer County ranks #75 out of 118 counties in Kentucky by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 53.9/100, it falls in the middle 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

Knox County

Kentucky

C

53.3

Water score

Bourbon County

Kentucky

C

52.7

Water score

Morgan County

Kentucky

C

55.4

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.

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

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