waterbycounty
EPA SDWIS

Berrien County Water Quality

Berrien County, Michigan

Water Grade

F

Water Score

35.6

Violations

46

State Rank

#65

of 83 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

F

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

35.6/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

46

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

44.3%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Berrien County

Water Verdict

Berrien County receives a poor water quality assessment with a grade of F and a score of 35.6 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

Berrien County has recorded 46 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 44.3 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues.

Consumer Guidance

Residents of Berrien County are advised to use filtered or bottled water for drinking and cooking until water quality improves. A reverse-osmosis or activated-carbon filter certified to remove the contaminants listed in the utility's Consumer Confidence Report is recommended. With 46 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

Berrien County has poorer water quality than the average county in Michigan. Its water score is 22.9 points lower than the state average, suggesting more challenges with contamination control or infrastructure than neighboring counties.

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

66

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

9.3K

9,279 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Microbiological
  • 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

4,430cfs

May 14, 6:15 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

124%

Above typical

Primary Streamgage

ST. JOSEPH RIVER AT NILES, MI

USGS site
04101500
Drainage area
3,666 sq mi
Long-term mean
3,562 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water quality in Berrien County, Michigan?
Berrien County, Michigan has a drinking-water quality grade of F with a score of 35.6/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 46 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 Berrien County?
Berrien County has 46 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 Berrien County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 9,279 measurements from 66 monitoring sites in Berrien County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Microbiological, 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 Berrien County right now?
Berrien County's primary USGS streamgage on the ST. JOSEPH RIVER is currently reading 4,430 cubic feet per second — 124% of the long-term mean of 3,562.33 cfs. Flow is within typical range for this gauge. For genuine real-time data, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Berrien County water compare to the Michigan average?
Berrien County's SDWIS water quality score of 35.6/100 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 Berrien County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Berrien County has a water quality grade of F (35.6/100). 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 Berrien County have so many water violations?
Berrien County has 46 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 Berrien County rank for water quality in Michigan?
Berrien County ranks #65 out of 83 counties in Michigan by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 35.6/100, 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

Branch County

Michigan

F

35.5

Water score

Genesee County

Michigan

F

36.1

Water score

Livingston County

Michigan

F

37.1

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

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