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County water report

Chemung County Water Report

Drinking-water compliance, watershed health, monitoring records, and river conditions for Chemung County, New York.

Water grade

B

Water score

69.5

State rank

#4

of 57

Health violations

1

EPA SDWIS, 5-year lookback

Watershed impaired

Not reported

EPA ATTAINS coverage varies by state

Monitoring sites

6

658 recent measurements

Live streamflow

164%

CHEMUNG RIVER AT CHEMUNG NY

Water at a glance

Key Water Indicators for Chemung County

EPA SDWIS

Safety Grade

B

Score: 69.5 / 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

164% of mean

CHEMUNG RIVER AT CHEMUNG NY

EPA WQP

Monitoring Sites

6

658 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.

69.5/100

Health violations

1

Health-based violations

Violations per 100K served

1.2

Population-normalized SDWIS rate

Editorial analysis

Understanding Chemung County’s Water

Drinking Water Quality Overview

EPA SDWIS

Chemung County earns a B grade for drinking water quality, scoring 69.5 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 2026-05-14T14:00:00.000-05:00) puts CHEMUNG RIVER at 4.3k cfs — running significantly above its long-term average at 164% of mean flow. 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.

Monitoring Network

EPA WQP

EPA's Water Quality Portal (WQP) aggregates monitoring data from federal, state, and tribal agencies. Chemung County has limited coverage with 6 active monitoring sites with 658 recent measurements on record. Predominant monitoring categories include physical and pfas,perfluorinated alkyl substance. 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 Chemung County

Water Verdict

Chemung County, New York receives a fair water quality assessment with a grade of B and a score of 69.5 out of 100. The water supply meets baseline federal standards, but there may be periods of elevated contaminant levels or infrastructure concerns worth monitoring. The county's primary USGS gauge drains roughly 2,506 square miles of upstream watershed, giving local source waters a regional footprint. At the most recent USGS reading, local streamflow was running above its historical mean at 163.9%.

Violation Context

EPA SDWIS records for Chemung County, New York show 1 health-based violation, meaning a water system experienced at least one exceedance of federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements. At 1.2 violations per 100,000 people served, this rate is relatively low compared to many U.S. counties. Independent monitoring is comparatively sparse here — 658 water-quality results logged in the EPA Water Quality Portal over the past five years — so the utility's own reporting carries extra weight.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Chemung County scores well above average for drinking-water safety. Chemung County's drinking-water compliance score is 69.5 out of 100. With 1 recorded health violation, the water supply is generally reliable. The violation rate for Chemung County is 1.2 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. There are 6 active water-quality monitoring sites in Chemung County. A pipeline streamflow snapshot from the CHEMUNG RIVER gauge is also available on this page.

Regional Context

Chemung County has better water quality than the average county in New York. Its water score is 29.4 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 Chemung County's water environment

Official EPA Resources for Chemung County

EPA How's My Waterway

Interactive watershed health data for Chemung County

EPA ECHO: Drinking Water Systems

Search water utilities and violation records for Chemung County

Consumer Confidence Reports (NY)

Annual water quality reports from utilities in New York

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

6

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

658

658 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • PFAS,Perfluorinated Alkyl Substance
  • Inorganics, Minor, Metals

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).

Live USGS Streamgage

River & Stream Conditions

Current Discharge

4,310cfs

May 14, 7:00 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

164%

Well above typical

Primary Streamgage

CHEMUNG RIVER AT CHEMUNG NY

USGS site
01531000
Drainage area
2,506 sq mi
Long-term mean
2,630 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 Chemung 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 Chemung County, New York?
Chemung County, New York has a drinking-water quality grade of B with a score of 69.5/100, 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 Chemung County?
Chemung 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 Chemung County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 658 measurements from 6 monitoring sites in Chemung County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, PFAS,Perfluorinated Alkyl Substance, Inorganics, Minor, Metals. 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.
What's happening with rivers in Chemung County right now?
Chemung County's primary USGS streamgage on the CHEMUNG RIVER has a pipeline snapshot of 4,310 cubic feet per second — 164% of the long-term mean of 2,629.8 cfs. This is well above typical — often a signal of recent precipitation or storm runoff. For the latest gauge feed, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Chemung County water compare to the New York average?
Chemung County's SDWIS water quality score of 69.5/100 is higher than the New York state average of 40.1. The average water quality grade across New York is D, based on data from 57 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Chemung County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Chemung County has a water quality grade of B (69.5/100). 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 Chemung County have clean drinking water?
Chemung County has 1 health-based drinking water violation according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 69.5/100 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 Chemung County rank for water quality in New York?
Chemung County ranks #4 out of 57 counties in New York by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 69.5/100, 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

Nassau County

New York

B

68.8

Water score

Monroe County

New York

B

68.6

Water score

St. Lawrence County

New York

B

68.6

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.

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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