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Federal water data

County water report

Barry County Water Report

Drinking-water compliance, watershed health, monitoring records, and river conditions for Barry County, Michigan.

Water grade

F

Water score

14.0

State rank

#81

of 83

Health violations

35

EPA SDWIS, 5-year lookback

Watershed impaired

Not reported

EPA ATTAINS coverage varies by state

Monitoring sites

26

6,247 recent measurements

Live streamflow

79%

THORNAPPLE RIVER NEAR HASTINGS, MI

Water at a glance

Key Water Indicators for Barry County

EPA SDWIS

Safety Grade

F

Score: 14.0 / 100

EPA SDWIS

Active Violations

35

5-year health-based lookback

EPA ATTAINS

Watershed Health

Not reported

Coverage varies by state

USGS NWIS

Streamflow Snapshot

79% of mean

THORNAPPLE RIVER NEAR HASTINGS, MI

EPA WQP

Monitoring Sites

26

6,247 recent readings

Source: EPA SDWIS · Safe Drinking Water Information System

Drinking Water Compliance

Compliance grade

F

Based on EPA SDWIS compliance history.

Water score

Higher scores indicate cleaner recent compliance records.

14.0/100

Health violations

35

Health-based violations

Violations per 100K served

213.7

Population-normalized SDWIS rate

Editorial analysis

Understanding Barry County’s Water

Drinking Water Quality Overview

EPA SDWIS

Barry County's water systems carry a failing grade, scoring 14.0 out of 100. Over the past five years, EPA SDWIS records 35 health-based violations — a pattern that public water utilities are required to disclose and correct.

River & Streamflow Status

USGS NWIS

USGS NWIS gauge data (as of 2026-05-14T13:15:00.000-05:00) puts THORNAPPLE RIVER at 273.0 cfs — running somewhat below its historical average at 79% of mean. Streamflow is a leading indicator of drought stress, sediment load, and dilution capacity: low flows concentrate pollutants and warm water temperatures, stressing aquatic life and, in surface-water-dependent systems, the source water quality for treatment plants.

Monitoring Network

EPA WQP

EPA's Water Quality Portal (WQP) aggregates monitoring data from federal, state, and tribal agencies. Barry County has moderate coverage with 26 active monitoring sites with 6,247 recent measurements on record. Predominant monitoring categories include physical and not assigned. More monitoring sites generally indicate greater scientific attention to local water conditions — and provide the baseline data that regulators use to set future impairment listings.

Editorial advisory

What the data suggests for Barry County

Water Verdict

Barry County receives a poor water quality assessment with a grade of F and a score of 14.0 out of 100. The water supply has documented quality issues. Residents are strongly encouraged to use filtered or bottled water for drinking and to stay informed about utility improvement plans.

Violation Context

Barry County has recorded 35 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 213.7 violations per 100,000 people served, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues.

Consumer Guidance

Barry County has a Grade F compliance record with 35 health-based violations — among the highest levels in the country. Barry County's drinking-water compliance score is 14.0 out of 100. Residents are strongly advised to use a certified NSF 58 reverse-osmosis filter or bottled water for all drinking and cooking until violations are corrected. Contacting the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality or Health can expedite utility compliance action. With 26 active water-quality monitoring sites in Barry County, data coverage is strong. A pipeline streamflow snapshot from the THORNAPPLE RIVER gauge is also available on this page.

Regional Context

Barry County has poorer water quality than the average county in Michigan. Its water score is 44.5 points lower than the state average, suggesting more challenges with contamination control or infrastructure than neighboring counties.

Advisory text summarizes county-level public records and is not a replacement for your utility's current Consumer Confidence Report or direct local notices.

Contaminants & Resources

Key issues flagged in Barry County's water environment

Official EPA Resources for Barry County

EPA How's My Waterway

Interactive watershed health data for Barry County

EPA ECHO: Drinking Water Systems

Search water utilities and violation records for Barry County

Consumer Confidence Reports (MI)

Annual water quality reports from utilities in Michigan

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

26

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

6.2K

6,247 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Not Assigned
  • Microbiological

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

273cfs

May 14, 6:15 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

79%

Below typical

Primary Streamgage

THORNAPPLE RIVER NEAR HASTINGS, MI

USGS site
04117500
Drainage area
385 sq mi
Long-term mean
347 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; the percent-of-typical value compares the latest reading against that average.

Free tool

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Water Cost Estimate

3

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Annual Total

$558

Monthly

$47

Water Bill

$558/yr

Filter Cost

$0/yr

Safety Grade for Barry County:F — Failing

High violation count or severe watershed conditions.

Estimates use the national average residential water rate ($0.0068/gal, EPA/AWWA 2023) and EPA WaterSense per-person consumption baseline (75 gal/person/day). Actual bills vary by utility, usage tier, and local infrastructure fees. For informational purposes only.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water quality in Barry County, Michigan?
Barry County, Michigan has a drinking-water quality grade of F with a score of 14.0/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 35 health-based drinking water violations over the past 5 years. Watershed health, monitoring records, and streamflow snapshots are reported separately on this page.
Are there any water violations in Barry County?
Barry County has 35 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 much water-quality monitoring happens in Barry County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 6,247 measurements from 26 monitoring sites in Barry County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Not Assigned, Microbiological. 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 Barry County right now?
Barry County's primary USGS streamgage on the THORNAPPLE RIVER has a pipeline snapshot of 273 cubic feet per second — 79% of the long-term mean of 346.88 cfs. Flow is within typical range for this gauge. For the latest gauge feed, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Barry County water compare to the Michigan average?
Barry County's SDWIS water quality score of 14.0/100 is lower than the Michigan state average of 58.5. The average water quality grade across Michigan is D, based on data from 83 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Barry County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Barry County has a water quality grade of F (14.0/100). This indicates below-average compliance with significant violations. Residents may want to consider home water filtration or independent testing. 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 Barry County have so many water violations?
Barry County has 35 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 Barry County rank for water quality in Michigan?
Barry County ranks #81 out of 83 counties in Michigan by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 14.0/100, it falls in the bottom 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

Benzie County

Michigan

F

14.7

Water score

Baraga County

Michigan

F

12.9

Water score

Mackinac County

Michigan

F

19.6

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.

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 Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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