waterbycounty
Federal water data

County water report

Garfield County Water Report

Drinking-water compliance, watershed health, monitoring records, and river conditions for Garfield County, Washington.

Water grade

F

Water score

3.6

State rank

#38

of 39

Health violations

16

EPA SDWIS, 5-year lookback

Watershed impaired

Not reported

EPA ATTAINS coverage varies by state

Monitoring sites

1

20 recent measurements

Live streamflow

No gauge

Primary USGS station not mapped

Water at a glance

Key Water Indicators for Garfield County

EPA SDWIS

Safety Grade

F

Score: 3.6 / 100

EPA SDWIS

Active Violations

16

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

1

20 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.

3.6/100

Health violations

16

Health-based violations

Violations per 100K served

1083.3

Population-normalized SDWIS rate

Editorial analysis

Understanding Garfield County’s Water

Drinking Water Quality Overview

EPA SDWIS

Garfield County's water systems carry a failing grade, scoring 3.6 out of 100. Over the past five years, EPA SDWIS records 16 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. Garfield County has limited coverage with 1 active monitoring site with 20 recent measurements on record. Predominant monitoring categories include physical and nutrient. 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 Garfield County

Water Verdict

Garfield County receives a poor water quality assessment with a grade of F and a score of 3.6 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

Garfield County has recorded 16 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 1083.3 violations per 100,000 people served, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues.

Consumer Guidance

Drinking-water compliance in Garfield County is rated Grade F, reflecting significant health-based violations in the recent reporting period. Garfield County's drinking-water compliance score is 3.6 out of 100. An NSF 53 or NSF 58-certified filter is recommended for drinking and cooking water. Check the Consumer Confidence Report from your utility to identify the specific contaminants and required corrective actions — utilities are legally required to notify customers of violations. There is 1 active water-quality monitoring site in Garfield County.

Regional Context

Garfield County has poorer water quality than the average county in Washington. Its water score is 55.7 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 Garfield County's water environment

Official EPA Resources for Garfield County

EPA How's My Waterway

Interactive watershed health data for Garfield County

EPA ECHO: Drinking Water Systems

Search water utilities and violation records for Garfield County

Consumer Confidence Reports (WA)

Annual water quality reports from utilities in Washington

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

1

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

20

20 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Nutrient
  • Inorganics, Major, 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).

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 Garfield 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.

Try the full calculator →

Improve your water quality at home

Berkey filters remove 99.9%+ of contaminants from tap water.

Shop Berkey →

Sponsored

Test your tap water

Tap Score provides professional mail-in water testing.

Get Tested →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water quality in Garfield County, Washington?
Garfield County, Washington has a drinking-water quality grade of F with a score of 3.6/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 16 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 Garfield County?
Garfield County has 16 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 Garfield County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 20 measurements from 1 monitoring sites in Garfield County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Nutrient, Inorganics, Major, 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 Garfield County water compare to the Washington average?
Garfield County's SDWIS water quality score of 3.6/100 is lower 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 Garfield County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Garfield County has a water quality grade of F (3.6/100). 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 Garfield County have so many water violations?
Garfield County has 16 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 Garfield County rank for water quality in Washington?
Garfield County ranks #38 out of 39 counties in Washington by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 3.6/100, 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

San Juan County

Washington

F

4.1

Water score

Ferry County

Washington

F

2.0

Water score

Island County

Washington

F

8.2

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

Explore more data for Garfield County

Property TaxCost of LivingCrime RateIncomeHealthSchoolsDisaster RiskWeatherCounty Score