Salt Lake County Water Quality
Salt Lake County, Utah
Water Grade
A
Water Score
70.4
Violations
12
State Rank
#7
of 29 (1 = best)
EPA SDWIS Compliance
Drinking Water Quality
Water Quality Grade
A
Based on EPA compliance history and violation data
Water Score
70.4/100
Higher = better quality
Health Violations
12
Health-based violations
Violation Rate
0.8%
Systems with violations
Water Advisory: Salt Lake County
Water Verdict
Salt Lake County receives a good water quality assessment with a grade of A and a score of 70.4 out of 100. While the water supply is generally safe, occasional monitoring gaps or minor contaminant detections may occur.
Violation Context
Salt Lake County has recorded 12 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 0.8 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is relatively low compared to many U.S. counties.
Consumer Guidance
Tap water in Salt Lake County is generally safe to drink based on available data. Residents should still review their utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for transparency on detected contaminants. With 12 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
Salt Lake County has better water quality than the average county in Utah. Its water score is 22.7 points higher than the state average, indicating stronger water system performance relative to neighboring counties.
Past 5 years
Water Quality Monitoring
Monitoring Sites
234
Active in the past 5 years
Measurements Recorded
122K
122,178 total readings
Most Measured
- Physical
- Organics, Pesticide
- 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
176cfs
May 14, 7:00 PM UTC
vs Long-Term Average
114%
Above typicalPrimary Streamgage
JORDAN RIVER @ CUDAHY LANE NR SALT LAKE CITY, UT
- USGS site
- 10172600
- Drainage area
- 3,490 sq mi
- Long-term mean
- 154 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.
Improve your water quality at home
Berkey filters remove 99.9%+ of contaminants from tap water.
Sponsored
Test your tap water
Tap Score provides professional mail-in water testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water quality in Salt Lake County, Utah?
Are there any water violations in Salt Lake County?
How much water-quality monitoring happens in Salt Lake County?
What's happening with rivers in Salt Lake County right now?
How does Salt Lake County water compare to the Utah average?
Is tap water safe to drink in Salt Lake County?
Why does Salt Lake County have so many water violations?
How does Salt Lake County rank for water quality in Utah?
Counties with Similar Water Quality
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.