Chelan County Water Quality

Chelan County, Washington

Water Grade

B

Water Score

68.0

Violations

2

State Rank

#13

of 39 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

B

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

68/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

2

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

1.9%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Chelan County

Water Verdict

Chelan County receives a fair water quality assessment with a grade of B and a score of 68.0 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

Chelan County has recorded 2 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 1.9 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is relatively low compared to many U.S. counties.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Chelan 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 2 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

Chelan County has better water quality than the average county in Washington. Its water score is 8.7 points higher than the state average, indicating stronger water system performance relative to neighboring counties.

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

14

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

20K

19,596 total readings

Most Measured

  • Organics, Pesticide
  • Not Assigned
  • Physical

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 Chelan County, Washington?
Chelan County, Washington has a drinking-water quality grade of B with a score of 68.0/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 2 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 Chelan County?
Chelan County has 2 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 Chelan County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 19,596 measurements from 14 monitoring sites in Chelan County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Organics, Pesticide, Not Assigned, Physical. 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 Chelan County water compare to the Washington average?
Chelan County's SDWIS water quality score of 68.0/100 is higher than the Washington state average of 59.3. The average water quality grade across Washington is D, based on data from 39 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Chelan County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Chelan County has a water quality grade of B (68.0/100). This indicates good to excellent water quality with strong SDWIS compliance. 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 Chelan County have clean drinking water?
Chelan County has 2 health-based drinking water violations according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 68.0/100 and grade B, 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 Chelan County rank for water quality in Washington?
Chelan County ranks #13 out of 39 counties in Washington by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 68.0/100, 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.

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