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EPA SDWIS

Aiken County Water Quality

Aiken County, South Carolina

Water Grade

C

Water Score

59.2

Violations

10

State Rank

#33

of 46 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

C

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

59.2/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

10

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

7.0%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Aiken County

Water Verdict

Aiken County receives a fair water quality assessment with a grade of C and a score of 59.2 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

Aiken County has recorded 10 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 7.0 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is moderate and suggests recurring water quality challenges.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Aiken County meets baseline standards, but residents who are immunocompromised or have young children may want to use an NSF-certified water filter as a precaution. With 10 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

Aiken County has poorer water quality than the average county in South Carolina. Its water score is 5.7 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

100.0%

1 of 1 assessed

High concern

Top Impairment Causes

  • 1

    ESCHERICHIA COLI (E. COLI)

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

14

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

5.6K

5,593 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Nutrient
  • 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).

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water quality in Aiken County, South Carolina?
Aiken County, South Carolina has a drinking-water quality grade of C with a score of 59.2/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 10 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 Aiken County?
Aiken County has 10 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 Aiken County?
EPA ATTAINS assessments under Clean Water Act §303(d) indicate 100.0% of Aiken County's 1 assessed water bodies are classified as impaired (1 impaired). The top reported causes are ESCHERICHIA COLI (E. COLI). 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 Aiken County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 5,593 measurements from 14 monitoring sites in Aiken County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Nutrient, 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.
How does Aiken County water compare to the South Carolina average?
Aiken County's SDWIS water quality score of 59.2/100 is lower than the South Carolina state average of 64.9. The average water quality grade across South Carolina is C, based on data from 46 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Aiken County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Aiken County has a water quality grade of C (59.2/100). 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).
Why does Aiken County have so many water violations?
Aiken County has 10 health-based drinking water violations on record from the EPA SDWIS database. A higher violation count can result from aging infrastructure, underfunded water utilities, agricultural runoff contamination, or industrial pollution. Counties with more water systems may also see more violations simply due to scale. Residents concerned about water quality should consider independent water testing and home filtration systems.
How does Aiken County rank for water quality in South Carolina?
Aiken County ranks #33 out of 46 counties in South Carolina by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 59.2/100, 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

Beaufort County

South Carolina

C

59.3

Water score

York County

South Carolina

C

61.3

Water score

Dorchester County

South Carolina

B

62.3

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.

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.

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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