waterbycounty
Federal water data

County water report

Houghton County Water Report

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

Water grade

B

Water score

65.3

State rank

#34

of 83

Health violations

1

EPA SDWIS, 5-year lookback

Watershed impaired

Not reported

EPA ATTAINS coverage varies by state

Monitoring sites

31

2,958 recent measurements

Live streamflow

No gauge

TRAP ROCK RIVER NEAR LAKE LINDEN, MI

Water at a glance

Key Water Indicators for Houghton County

EPA SDWIS

Safety Grade

B

Score: 65.3 / 100

EPA SDWIS

Active Violations

1

5-year health-based lookback

EPA ATTAINS

Watershed Health

Not reported

Coverage varies by state

USGS NWIS

Streamflow Snapshot

No gauge

TRAP ROCK RIVER NEAR LAKE LINDEN, MI

EPA WQP

Monitoring Sites

31

2,958 recent readings

Source: EPA SDWIS · Safe Drinking Water Information System

Drinking Water Compliance

Compliance grade

B

Based on EPA SDWIS compliance history.

Water score

Higher scores indicate cleaner recent compliance records.

65.3/100

Health violations

1

Health-based violations

Violations per 100K served

3.3

Population-normalized SDWIS rate

Editorial analysis

Understanding Houghton County’s Water

Drinking Water Quality Overview

EPA SDWIS

Houghton County earns a B grade for drinking water quality, scoring 65.3 out of 100. Over the past five years, EPA SDWIS records 1 health-based violation — a single incident worth monitoring.

Monitoring Network

EPA WQP

EPA's Water Quality Portal (WQP) aggregates monitoring data from federal, state, and tribal agencies. Houghton County has moderate coverage with 31 active monitoring sites with 2,958 recent measurements on record. Predominant monitoring categories include physical and microbiological. 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 Houghton County

Water Verdict

Houghton County receives a fair water quality assessment with a grade of B and a score of 65.3 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

Houghton County has recorded 1 health-based violation, meaning the water system experienced at least one exceedance of federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements. At 3.3 violations per 100,000 people served, this rate is moderate and suggests recurring water quality challenges.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Houghton County scores well above average for drinking-water safety. Houghton County's drinking-water compliance score is 65.3 out of 100. With 1 recorded health violation, the water supply is generally reliable. The violation rate for Houghton County is 3.3 per 100,000 people served. Households with infants, pregnant individuals, or immunocompromised members may want to use an NSF 53-certified pitcher filter as a low-cost precaution. With 31 active water-quality monitoring sites in Houghton County, data coverage is strong. A pipeline streamflow snapshot from the TRAP ROCK RIVER gauge is also available on this page.

Regional Context

Houghton County has better water quality than the average county in Michigan. Its water score is 6.8 points higher than the state average, indicating stronger water system performance relative to 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 Houghton County's water environment

Official EPA Resources for Houghton County

EPA How's My Waterway

Interactive watershed health data for Houghton County

EPA ECHO: Drinking Water Systems

Search water utilities and violation records for Houghton County

Consumer Confidence Reports (MI)

Annual water quality reports from utilities in Michigan

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

31

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

3.0K

2,958 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Microbiological
  • 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).

Free tool

Estimate Your Water Costs

Water Cost Estimate

3

3 people  ·  ~225 gal/day

Annual Total

$558

Monthly

$47

Water Bill

$558/yr

Filter Cost

$0/yr

Safety Grade for Houghton County:C — Moderate

Some violations or watershed impairment detected.

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.

Try the full calculator →

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 Houghton County, Michigan?
Houghton County, Michigan has a drinking-water quality grade of B with a score of 65.3/100, 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 streamflow snapshots are reported separately on this page.
Are there any water violations in Houghton County?
Houghton 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 much water-quality monitoring happens in Houghton County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 2,958 measurements from 31 monitoring sites in Houghton County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Microbiological, 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 Houghton County water compare to the Michigan average?
Houghton County's SDWIS water quality score of 65.3/100 is higher 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 Houghton County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Houghton County has a water quality grade of B (65.3/100). This indicates good to excellent water quality with strong SDWIS compliance. 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 Houghton County have clean drinking water?
Houghton County has 1 health-based drinking water violation according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 65.3/100 and grade B, 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 Houghton County rank for water quality in Michigan?
Houghton County ranks #34 out of 83 counties in Michigan by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 65.3/100, 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

St. Clair County

Michigan

B

65.6

Water score

Kent County

Michigan

B

64.8

Water score

Saginaw County

Michigan

B

64.8

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.

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

Explore more data for Houghton County

Property TaxCost of LivingCrime RateIncomeHealthSchoolsDisaster RiskWeatherCounty Score