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Federal water data

County water report

Howard County Water Report

Drinking-water compliance, watershed health, monitoring records, and river conditions for Howard County, Texas.

Water grade

F

Water score

13.6

State rank

#166

of 254

Health violations

68

EPA SDWIS, 5-year lookback

Watershed impaired

Not reported

EPA ATTAINS coverage varies by state

Monitoring sites

2

515 recent measurements

Live streamflow

No gauge

Primary USGS station not mapped

Water at a glance

Key Water Indicators for Howard County

EPA SDWIS

Safety Grade

F

Score: 13.6 / 100

EPA SDWIS

Active Violations

68

5-year health-based lookback

EPA ATTAINS

Watershed Health

Not reported

Coverage varies by state

USGS NWIS

Streamflow Snapshot

No gauge

Primary USGS gauge not mapped

EPA WQP

Monitoring Sites

2

515 recent readings

Source: EPA SDWIS · Safe Drinking Water Information System

Drinking Water Compliance

Compliance grade

F

Based on EPA SDWIS compliance history.

Water score

Higher scores indicate cleaner recent compliance records.

13.6/100

Health violations

68

Health-based violations

Violations per 100K served

218.9

Population-normalized SDWIS rate

Editorial analysis

Understanding Howard County’s Water

Drinking Water Quality Overview

EPA SDWIS

Howard County's water systems carry a failing grade, scoring 13.6 out of 100. Over the past five years, EPA SDWIS records 68 health-based violations — a pattern that public water utilities are required to disclose and correct.

Monitoring Network

EPA WQP

EPA's Water Quality Portal (WQP) aggregates monitoring data from federal, state, and tribal agencies. Howard County has limited coverage with 2 active monitoring sites with 515 recent measurements on record. Predominant monitoring categories include physical and inorganics, major, non-metals. 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 Howard County

Water Verdict

Howard County receives a poor water quality assessment with a grade of F and a score of 13.6 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

Howard County has recorded 68 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 218.9 violations per 100,000 people served, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues.

Consumer Guidance

Howard County has a Grade F compliance record with 68 health-based violations — among the highest levels in the country. Howard County's drinking-water compliance score is 13.6 out of 100. Residents are strongly advised to use a certified NSF 58 reverse-osmosis filter or bottled water for all drinking and cooking until violations are corrected. Contacting the Texas Department of Environmental Quality or Health can expedite utility compliance action. There are 2 active water-quality monitoring sites in Howard County.

Regional Context

Howard County has poorer water quality than the average county in Texas. Its water score is 16.8 points lower than the state average, suggesting more challenges with contamination control or infrastructure than 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 Howard County's water environment

Official EPA Resources for Howard County

EPA How's My Waterway

Interactive watershed health data for Howard County

EPA ECHO: Drinking Water Systems

Search water utilities and violation records for Howard County

Consumer Confidence Reports (TX)

Annual water quality reports from utilities in Texas

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

2

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

515

515 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Inorganics, Major, Non-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).

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 Howard County:F — Failing

High violation count or severe watershed conditions.

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 Howard County, Texas?
Howard County, Texas has a drinking-water quality grade of F with a score of 13.6/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 68 health-based drinking water violations over the past 5 years. Watershed health, monitoring records, and streamflow snapshots are reported separately on this page.
Are there any water violations in Howard County?
Howard County has 68 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 Howard County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 515 measurements from 2 monitoring sites in Howard County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Inorganics, Major, Non-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.
How does Howard County water compare to the Texas average?
Howard County's SDWIS water quality score of 13.6/100 is lower 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 Howard County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Howard County has a water quality grade of F (13.6/100). 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).
Why does Howard County have so many water violations?
Howard County has 68 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 Howard County rank for water quality in Texas?
Howard County ranks #166 out of 254 counties in Texas by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 13.6/100, 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

Harrison County

Texas

F

13.7

Water score

Lampasas County

Texas

F

13.4

Water score

Clay County

Texas

F

13.3

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.

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 Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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