waterbycounty
EPA SDWIS

Galveston County Water Quality

Galveston County, Texas

Water Grade

C

Water Score

59.1

Violations

28

State Rank

#39

of 254 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

C

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

59.1/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

28

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

7.1%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Galveston County

Water Verdict

Galveston County receives a fair water quality assessment with a grade of C and a score of 59.1 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

Galveston County has recorded 28 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 7.1 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is moderate and suggests recurring water quality challenges.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Galveston 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 28 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

Galveston County has better water quality than the average county in Texas. Its water score is 28.7 points higher than the state average, indicating stronger water system performance relative to neighboring counties.

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

191

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

32K

31,512 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Microbiological
  • Inorganics, Major, Non-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

2,520cfs

May 2, 11:45 AM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

Long-term average not yet available.

Primary Streamgage

Clear Ck nr Friendswood, TX

USGS site
08077600
Drainage area
122 sq mi

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 Galveston County, Texas?
Galveston County, Texas has a drinking-water quality grade of C with a score of 59.1/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 28 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 Galveston County?
Galveston County has 28 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 much water-quality monitoring happens in Galveston County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 31,512 measurements from 191 monitoring sites in Galveston County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Microbiological, Inorganics, Major, Non-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 Galveston County right now?
Galveston County's primary USGS streamgage on the Clear Ck is currently reading 2,520 cubic feet per second. Flow is within typical range for this gauge. For genuine real-time data, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Galveston County water compare to the Texas average?
Galveston County's SDWIS water quality score of 59.1/100 is higher than the Texas state average of 30.4. The average water quality grade across Texas is F, based on data from 254 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Galveston County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Galveston County has a water quality grade of C (59.1/100). 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 Galveston County have so many water violations?
Galveston County has 28 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 Galveston County rank for water quality in Texas?
Galveston County ranks #39 out of 254 counties in Texas by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 59.1/100, 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

Robertson County

Texas

C

59.6

Water score

Wichita County

Texas

C

59.6

Water score

Upshur County

Texas

C

58.5

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

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