waterbycounty
EPA SDWIS

Wexford County Water Quality

Wexford County, Michigan

Water Grade

C

Water Score

58.9

Violations

1

State Rank

#44

of 83 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

C

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

58.9/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

1

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

7.3%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Wexford County

Water Verdict

Wexford County receives a fair water quality assessment with a grade of C and a score of 58.9 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

Wexford County has recorded 1 health-based violation, meaning the water system experienced at least one exceedance of federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements. At 7.3 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is moderate and suggests recurring water quality challenges.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Wexford 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

Wexford County has water quality close to the average county in Michigan. Its water score is within 0.4 points of the state average, meaning its overall water system performance is broadly representative of Michigan as a whole.

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

9

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

729

729 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

1,660cfs

May 14, 6:45 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

156%

Well above typical

Primary Streamgage

MANISTEE RIVER NEAR SHERMAN, MI

USGS site
04124000
Drainage area
857 sq mi
Long-term mean
1,066 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 Wexford County, Michigan?
Wexford County, Michigan has a drinking-water quality grade of C with a score of 58.9/100, 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 Wexford County?
Wexford 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 Wexford County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 729 measurements from 9 monitoring sites in Wexford 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 Wexford County right now?
Wexford County's primary USGS streamgage on the MANISTEE RIVER is currently reading 1,660 cubic feet per second — 156% of the long-term mean of 1,066.42 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 Wexford County water compare to the Michigan average?
Wexford County's SDWIS water quality score of 58.9/100 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 Wexford County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Wexford County has a water quality grade of C (58.9/100). 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 Wexford County have clean drinking water?
Wexford County has 1 health-based drinking water violation according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 58.9/100 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 Wexford County rank for water quality in Michigan?
Wexford County ranks #44 out of 83 counties in Michigan by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 58.9/100, 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

Bay County

Michigan

C

59.1

Water score

Ottawa County

Michigan

C

60.1

Water score

Huron County

Michigan

C

60.4

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.

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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