waterbycounty
EPA SDWIS

Benson County Water Quality

Benson County, North Dakota

Water Grade

F

Water Score

12.3

Violations

3

State Rank

#49

of 52 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

F

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

12.3/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

3

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

263.6%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Benson County

Water Verdict

Benson County receives a poor water quality assessment with a grade of F and a score of 12.3 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

Benson County has recorded 3 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 263.6 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues.

Consumer Guidance

Residents of Benson 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 3 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

Benson County has poorer water quality than the average county in North Dakota. Its water score is 59.3 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

16.7%

5 of 30 assessed

Some impairment

Top Impairment Causes

  • 1

    SEDIMENTATION/SILTATION

  • 2

    BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES BIOASSESSMENTS

  • 3

    PHYSICAL SUBSTRATE HABITAT ALTERATIONS

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.

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

9

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

6.1K

6,146 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Inorganics, Minor, Metals
  • 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).

Live USGS Streamgage

River & Stream Conditions

Current Discharge

62.3cfs

May 14, 6:15 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

77%

Below typical

Primary Streamgage

SHEYENNE R AB DEVILS LK STATE OUTLET NR FLORA, ND

USGS site
05055300
Drainage area
1,661 sq mi
Long-term mean
81.0 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 Benson County, North Dakota?
Benson County, North Dakota has a drinking-water quality grade of F with a score of 12.3/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 3 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 Benson County?
Benson County has 3 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 Benson County?
EPA ATTAINS assessments under Clean Water Act §303(d) indicate 16.7% of Benson County's 30 assessed water bodies are classified as impaired (5 impaired). The top reported causes are SEDIMENTATION/SILTATION, BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES BIOASSESSMENTS, PHYSICAL SUBSTRATE HABITAT ALTERATIONS. 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 much water-quality monitoring happens in Benson County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 6,146 measurements from 9 monitoring sites in Benson County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Inorganics, Minor, Metals, 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.
What's happening with rivers in Benson County right now?
Benson County's primary USGS streamgage on the SHEYENNE R AB DEVILS LK STATE OUTLET is currently reading 62.3 cubic feet per second — 77% of the long-term mean of 81.02 cfs. Flow is within typical range for this gauge. For genuine real-time data, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Benson County water compare to the North Dakota average?
Benson County's SDWIS water quality score of 12.3/100 is lower than the North Dakota state average of 71.6. The average water quality grade across North Dakota is C, based on data from 52 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Benson County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Benson County has a water quality grade of F (12.3/100). 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 Benson County have clean drinking water?
Benson County has 3 health-based drinking water violations according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 12.3/100 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 Benson County rank for water quality in North Dakota?
Benson County ranks #49 out of 52 counties in North Dakota by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 12.3/100, 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

Sargent County

North Dakota

F

13.2

Water score

Burke County

North Dakota

F

9.4

Water score

Bottineau County

North Dakota

F

7.9

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.

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 Logan Johnson, Founder & Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Logan Johnson, Founder & Data Editor

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