waterbycounty
EPA SDWIS

Phelps County Water Quality

Phelps County, Nebraska

Water Grade

D

Water Score

42.1

Violations

2

State Rank

#57

of 90 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

D

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

42.1/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

2

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

28.5%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Phelps County

Water Verdict

Phelps County receives a below-average water quality assessment with a grade of D and a score of 42.1 out of 100. Residents should review their utility's Consumer Confidence Report and may want to consider additional water filtration for drinking.

Violation Context

Phelps County has recorded 2 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 28.5 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues.

Consumer Guidance

Residents of Phelps County are advised to use filtered or bottled water for drinking and cooking until water quality improves. A reverse-osmosis or activated-carbon filter certified to remove the contaminants listed in the utility's Consumer Confidence Report is recommended. With 2 recorded health violations, 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

Phelps County has poorer water quality than the average county in Nebraska. Its water score is 16 points lower than the state average, suggesting more challenges with contamination control or infrastructure than neighboring counties.

Clean Water Act §303(d)

Watershed Health

Impaired Water Bodies

58.8%

10 of 17 assessed

Moderate concern

Top Impairment Causes

  • 1

    ESCHERICHIA COLI (E. COLI)

  • 2

    CAUSE UNKNOWN

  • 3

    MERCURY IN FISH TISSUE

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.

Live USGS Streamgage

River & Stream Conditions

Current Discharge

63.5cfs

May 14, 6:30 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

10%

Well below typical

Primary Streamgage

Platte R, J2 Outflow and S Ch, near Overton, Nebr.

USGS site
06767970
Long-term mean
663 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 Phelps County, Nebraska?
Phelps County, Nebraska has a drinking-water quality grade of D with a score of 42.1/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 2 health-based drinking water violations over the past 5 years. Watershed health, monitoring records, and live streamflow are reported separately on this page.
Are there any water violations in Phelps County?
Phelps County has 2 health-based drinking water violations 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 Phelps County?
EPA ATTAINS assessments under Clean Water Act §303(d) indicate 58.8% of Phelps County's 17 assessed water bodies are classified as impaired (10 impaired). The top reported causes are ESCHERICHIA COLI (E. COLI), CAUSE UNKNOWN, MERCURY IN FISH TISSUE. 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.
What's happening with rivers in Phelps County right now?
Phelps County's primary USGS streamgage on the Platte R, J2 Outflow and S Ch, is currently reading 63.5 cubic feet per second — 10% of the long-term mean of 662.6 cfs. This is well below typical — often a signal of drought stress on source water. For genuine real-time data, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Phelps County water compare to the Nebraska average?
Phelps County's SDWIS water quality score of 42.1/100 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 Phelps County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Phelps County has a water quality grade of D (42.1/100). 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 Phelps County have clean drinking water?
Phelps County has 2 health-based drinking water violations according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 42.1/100 and grade D, 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 Phelps County rank for water quality in Nebraska?
Phelps County ranks #57 out of 90 counties in Nebraska by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 42.1/100, 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

Stanton County

Nebraska

D

43.9

Water score

Saline County

Nebraska

F

39.5

Water score

Colfax County

Nebraska

D

44.9

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, EPA-finalized.

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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