waterbycounty
EPA SDWIS

Cape Girardeau County Water Quality

Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

Water Grade

B

Water Score

69.0

Violations

1

State Rank

#35

of 115 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

B

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

69/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

1

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

1.4%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Cape Girardeau County

Water Verdict

Cape Girardeau County receives a fair water quality assessment with a grade of B and a score of 69.0 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

Cape Girardeau County has recorded 1 health-based violation, meaning the water system experienced at least one exceedance of federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements. At 1.4 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is relatively low compared to many U.S. counties.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Cape Girardeau County is generally safe to drink based on available data. Residents should still review their utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for transparency on detected contaminants. 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

Cape Girardeau County has better water quality than the average county in Missouri. Its water score is 20.2 points higher than the state average, indicating stronger water system performance relative to neighboring counties.

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

11

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

440

440 total readings

Most Measured

  • Microbiological
  • Physical
  • 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).

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 Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?
Cape Girardeau County, Missouri has a drinking-water quality grade of B with a score of 69.0/100, 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 Cape Girardeau County?
Cape Girardeau 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 Cape Girardeau County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 440 measurements from 11 monitoring sites in Cape Girardeau County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Microbiological, Physical, 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.
How does Cape Girardeau County water compare to the Missouri average?
Cape Girardeau County's SDWIS water quality score of 69.0/100 is higher than the Missouri state average of 48.8. The average water quality grade across Missouri is D, based on data from 115 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Cape Girardeau County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Cape Girardeau County has a water quality grade of B (69.0/100). 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 Cape Girardeau County have clean drinking water?
Cape Girardeau County has 1 health-based drinking water violation according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 69.0/100 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 Cape Girardeau County rank for water quality in Missouri?
Cape Girardeau County ranks #35 out of 115 counties in Missouri by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 69.0/100, it falls in the top 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

Greene County

Missouri

B

69.5

Water score

Jasper County

Missouri

B

65.8

Water score

Livingston County

Missouri

C

61.2

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

Explore more data for Cape Girardeau County

Property TaxCost of LivingCrime RateIncomeHealthSchoolsDisaster RiskWeatherCounty Score