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Federal water data

County water report

Ray County Water Report

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

Water grade

C

Water score

59.8

State rank

#38

of 115

Health violations

1

EPA SDWIS, 5-year lookback

Watershed impaired

Not reported

EPA ATTAINS coverage varies by state

Monitoring sites

N/A

EPA Water Quality Portal

Live streamflow

18%

Crooked River near Richmond, MO

Water at a glance

Key Water Indicators for Ray County

EPA SDWIS

Safety Grade

C

Score: 59.8 / 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

18% of mean

Crooked River near Richmond, MO

EPA WQP

Monitoring Sites

N/A

Rolling 5-year window

Source: EPA SDWIS · Safe Drinking Water Information System

Drinking Water Compliance

Compliance grade

C

Based on EPA SDWIS compliance history.

Water score

Higher scores indicate cleaner recent compliance records.

59.8/100

Health violations

1

Health-based violations

Violations per 100K served

6.5

Population-normalized SDWIS rate

Editorial analysis

Understanding Ray County’s Water

Drinking Water Quality Overview

EPA SDWIS

Ray County's drinking water earned a C grade, scoring 59.8 out of 100. Over the past five years, EPA SDWIS records 1 health-based violation — a single incident worth monitoring.

River & Streamflow Status

USGS NWIS

USGS NWIS gauge data (as of 2026-05-14T13:30:00.000-05:00) puts Crooked River at 22.0 cfs — well below its long-term average at 18% of mean — low-flow conditions worth noting for water-dependent ecosystems. Streamflow is a leading indicator of drought stress, sediment load, and dilution capacity: low flows concentrate pollutants and warm water temperatures, stressing aquatic life and, in surface-water-dependent systems, the source water quality for treatment plants.

Editorial advisory

What the data suggests for Ray County

Water Verdict

Ray County receives a fair water quality assessment with a grade of C and a score of 59.8 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

Ray County has recorded 1 health-based violation, meaning the water system experienced at least one exceedance of federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements. At 6.5 violations per 100,000 people served, this rate is moderate and suggests recurring water quality challenges.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Ray County meets baseline standards but the compliance record shows room for improvement, with a Grade C rating. Ray County's drinking-water compliance score is 59.8 out of 100. The violation rate for Ray County is 6.5 per 100,000 people served. Residents who are immunocompromised, pregnant, or have young children may benefit from using an NSF 53-certified filter. Contacting your local utility for the current Consumer Confidence Report will confirm which specific violations were recorded and whether they have been resolved. A pipeline streamflow snapshot from the Crooked River gauge is also available on this page.

Regional Context

Ray County has better water quality than the average county in Missouri. Its water score is 11 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 Ray County's water environment

Official EPA Resources for Ray County

EPA How's My Waterway

Interactive watershed health data for Ray County

EPA ECHO: Drinking Water Systems

Search water utilities and violation records for Ray County

Consumer Confidence Reports (MO)

Annual water quality reports from utilities in Missouri

Live USGS Streamgage

River & Stream Conditions

Current Discharge

22.0cfs

May 14, 6:30 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

18%

Well below typical

Primary Streamgage

Crooked River near Richmond, MO

USGS site
06895000
Drainage area
159 sq mi
Long-term mean
119 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; the percent-of-typical value compares the latest reading against that average.

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 Ray County:D — Poor

Elevated violations or significant watershed impairment.

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 Ray County, Missouri?
Ray County, Missouri has a drinking-water quality grade of C with a score of 59.8/100, 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 Ray County?
Ray 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.
What's happening with rivers in Ray County right now?
Ray County's primary USGS streamgage on the Crooked River has a pipeline snapshot of 22 cubic feet per second — 18% of the long-term mean of 119.36 cfs. This is well below typical — often a signal of drought stress on source water. For the latest gauge feed, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Ray County water compare to the Missouri average?
Ray County's SDWIS water quality score of 59.8/100 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 Ray County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Ray County has a water quality grade of C (59.8/100). 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 Ray County have clean drinking water?
Ray County has 1 health-based drinking water violation according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 59.8/100 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 Ray County rank for water quality in Missouri?
Ray County ranks #38 out of 115 counties in Missouri by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 59.8/100, 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

Polk County

Missouri

C

59.6

Water score

Livingston County

Missouri

C

61.2

Water score

Marion County

Missouri

C

58.3

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.

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

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