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Federal water data

County water report

Perkins County Water Report

Drinking-water compliance, watershed health, monitoring records, and river conditions for Perkins County, Nebraska.

Water grade

F

Water score

32.2

State rank

#64

of 90

Health violations

1

EPA SDWIS, 5-year lookback

Watershed impaired

37.5%

8 water bodies assessed

Monitoring sites

N/A

EPA Water Quality Portal

Live streamflow

No gauge

Primary USGS station not mapped

Water at a glance

Key Water Indicators for Perkins County

EPA SDWIS

Safety Grade

F

Score: 32.2 / 100

EPA SDWIS

Active Violations

1

5-year health-based lookback

EPA ATTAINS

Watershed Health

38% impaired

8 bodies assessed

USGS NWIS

Streamflow Snapshot

No gauge

Primary USGS gauge not mapped

EPA WQP

Monitoring Sites

N/A

Rolling 5-year window

Source: EPA SDWIS · Safe Drinking Water Information System

Drinking Water Compliance

Compliance grade

F

Based on EPA SDWIS compliance history.

Water score

Higher scores indicate cleaner recent compliance records.

32.2/100

Health violations

1

Health-based violations

Violations per 100K served

56.1

Population-normalized SDWIS rate

Editorial analysis

Understanding Perkins County’s Water

Drinking Water Quality Overview

EPA SDWIS

Perkins County's water systems carry a failing grade, scoring 32.2 out of 100. Over the past five years, EPA SDWIS records 1 health-based violation — a single incident worth monitoring.

Watershed Conditions

EPA ATTAINS

Under the Clean Water Act §303(d), EPA ATTAINS tracks whether waterways meet quality standards for drinking, recreation, and aquatic life (reporting cycle: 2022). A substantial 37.5% of assessed waterways are impaired (3 of 8 water bodies) across Perkins County's watersheds. The leading impairment causes are hazard index compounds and specific conductivity. Impairment does not mean tap water is unsafe — it measures ambient waterway conditions upstream of treatment, not finished drinking water.

Editorial advisory

What the data suggests for Perkins County

Water Verdict

Perkins County receives a poor water quality assessment with a grade of F and a score of 32.2 out of 100. The water supply has documented quality issues. Residents are strongly encouraged to use filtered or bottled water for drinking and to stay informed about utility improvement plans.

Violation Context

Perkins County has recorded 1 health-based violation, meaning the water system experienced at least one exceedance of federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements. At 56.1 violations per 100,000 people served, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues.

Consumer Guidance

Drinking-water compliance in Perkins County is rated Grade F, reflecting significant health-based violations in the recent reporting period. Perkins County's drinking-water compliance score is 32.2 out of 100. The violation rate for Perkins County is 56.1 per 100,000 people served. An NSF 53 or NSF 58-certified filter is recommended for drinking and cooking water. Check the Consumer Confidence Report from your utility to identify the specific contaminants and required corrective actions — utilities are legally required to notify customers of violations. Hazard Index Compounds is the leading impairment cause in Perkins County's watershed.

Regional Context

Perkins County has poorer water quality than the average county in Nebraska. Its water score is 25.9 points lower than the state average, suggesting more challenges with contamination control or infrastructure than 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 Perkins County's water environment

Watershed Impairment Causes (EPA ATTAINS)

  • 1

    Hazard Index Compounds

    Impairment cause per EPA Clean Water Act §303(d) assessment

  • 2

    Specific Conductivity

    Impairment cause per EPA Clean Water Act §303(d) assessment

  • 3

    Cause Unknown

    Impairment cause per EPA Clean Water Act §303(d) assessment

Source: EPA ATTAINS · Reporting cycle 2022

Official EPA Resources for Perkins County

EPA How's My Waterway

Interactive watershed health data for Perkins County

EPA ECHO: Drinking Water Systems

Search water utilities and violation records for Perkins County

Consumer Confidence Reports (NE)

Annual water quality reports from utilities in Nebraska

Clean Water Act §303(d)

Watershed Health

Impaired Water Bodies

37.5%

3 of 8 assessed

Moderate concern

Top Impairment Causes

  • 1

    HAZARD INDEX COMPOUNDS

  • 2

    SPECIFIC CONDUCTIVITY

  • 3

    CAUSE UNKNOWN

Source: EPA ATTAINS · Reporting cycle 2022

Impairment is determined under the Clean Water Act §303(d): a water body is impaired when it fails to meet state-defined quality standards for designated uses (drinking, recreation, aquatic life). Assessment coverage varies by state; counties without assessed water bodies are not shown.

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Safety Grade for Perkins 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 Perkins County, Nebraska?
Perkins County, Nebraska has a drinking-water quality grade of F with a score of 32.2/100, 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 Perkins County?
Perkins 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 healthy are the watersheds in Perkins County?
EPA ATTAINS assessments under Clean Water Act §303(d) indicate 37.5% of Perkins County's 8 assessed water bodies are classified as impaired (3 impaired). The top reported causes are HAZARD INDEX COMPOUNDS, SPECIFIC CONDUCTIVITY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. Impairment means the water body fails to meet state quality standards for at least one designated use — drinking water source, recreation, aquatic life, or fish consumption. Note: watershed impairment doesn't always translate to tap-water issues; treatment plants can remove most regulated contaminants.
How does Perkins County water compare to the Nebraska average?
Perkins County's SDWIS water quality score of 32.2/100 is lower than the Nebraska state average of 58.1. The average water quality grade across Nebraska is D, based on data from 90 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Perkins County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Perkins County has a water quality grade of F (32.2/100). This indicates below-average compliance with significant violations. Residents may want to consider home water filtration or independent testing. 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 Perkins County have clean drinking water?
Perkins County has 1 health-based drinking water violation according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 32.2/100 and grade F, 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 Perkins County rank for water quality in Nebraska?
Perkins County ranks #64 out of 90 counties in Nebraska by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 32.2/100, it falls in the bottom 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

Thayer County

Nebraska

F

32.3

Water score

Washington County

Nebraska

F

31.8

Water score

Hitchcock County

Nebraska

F

31.1

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.

Watershed health and impaired-waterway data from the EPA ATTAINS Clean Water Act §303(d) assessments, state-reported and EPA-finalized.

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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