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Federal water data

County water report

Cape Girardeau County Water Report

Drinking-water compliance, watershed health, monitoring records, and river conditions for Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.

Water grade

B

Water score

69.0

State rank

#35

of 115

Health violations

1

EPA SDWIS, 5-year lookback

Watershed impaired

Not reported

EPA ATTAINS coverage varies by state

Monitoring sites

11

440 recent measurements

Live streamflow

No gauge

Primary USGS station not mapped

Water at a glance

Key Water Indicators for Cape Girardeau County

EPA SDWIS

Safety Grade

B

Score: 69.0 / 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

Primary USGS gauge not mapped

EPA WQP

Monitoring Sites

11

440 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.

69.0/100

Health violations

1

Health-based violations

Violations per 100K served

1.4

Population-normalized SDWIS rate

Editorial analysis

Understanding Cape Girardeau County’s Water

Drinking Water Quality Overview

EPA SDWIS

Cape Girardeau County earns a B grade for drinking water quality, scoring 69.0 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. Cape Girardeau County has moderate coverage with 11 active monitoring sites with 440 recent measurements on record. Predominant monitoring categories include microbiological and physical. 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 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 100,000 people served, this rate is relatively low compared to many U.S. counties.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Cape Girardeau County scores well above average for drinking-water safety. Cape Girardeau County's drinking-water compliance score is 69.0 out of 100. With 1 recorded health violation, the water supply is generally reliable. The violation rate for Cape Girardeau County is 1.4 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 11 active water-quality monitoring sites in Cape Girardeau County, data coverage is strong.

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.

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 Cape Girardeau County's water environment

Official EPA Resources for Cape Girardeau County

EPA How's My Waterway

Interactive watershed health data for Cape Girardeau County

EPA ECHO: Drinking Water Systems

Search water utilities and violation records for Cape Girardeau County

Consumer Confidence Reports (MO)

Annual water quality reports from utilities in Missouri

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).

Free tool

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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 Cape Girardeau 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.

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

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