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Missouri Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 1,036 cities across Missouri — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 706 Cities covered: 1,036 Updated: 2026 Q2
A

Missouri earns an A for overall water quality

1036 communities across 115 counties and 706 water systems. 99.7% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 2.16 ppb
36.4% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 41.3% of communities; 3 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 100.0% of communities
99.7% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
706
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
2.16 ppb
14% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
99.7%
of systems — no active violations
How we grade states Grades are based on actual EPA enforcement data — MCL violations and lead levels measured against the 15 ppb federal action level. We do not use MCLG-based detections, which are aspirational zero-tolerance goals that would make nearly every state look dangerous. Read our full methodology →

Best & Worst Cities in Missouri

✓ Cleanest Water
River Bend
Jackson County
1.5 ppb B
Friedenswald
Camden County
4.6 ppb B
Glen Allen
Bollinger County
0.0 ppb B
Armstrong
Howard County
3.1 ppb B
Golden
Barry County
0.0 ppb B
Camden
Ray County
3.5 ppb A
⚠ Needs Attention
Southwest City
McDonald County
5.2 ppb D
Silex
Lincoln County
2.1 ppb D
Camden Point
Platte County
1.2 ppb D
Gravois Mills
Morgan County
0.0 ppb D
Camdenton
Camden County
1.9 ppb D
Hannibal
Marion County
5.3 ppb C

Water Quality by County

115 of 115
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
St. Louis County 97 No data 0 A
Jefferson County 25 2.5 ppb 0 A
Jackson County 20 1.5 ppb 0 A
Cass County 20 1.5 ppb 0 A
Clay County 20 4.3 ppb 0 A
Jasper County 19 2.6 ppb 0 A
Platte County 18 2.1 ppb 0 A
St. Charles County 17 3.7 ppb 0 A
Newton County 17 4.0 ppb 0 A
Nodaway County 17 1.4 ppb 0 B

About Missouri Drinking Water

Missouri is served by 706 community water systems covering 1036 communities across 115 counties. 99.7% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 659 communities, with a median of 2.16 ppb — 14% of the federal action level. A further 377 reported none detected. That share is a state reporting convention rather than a measure of water quality, so it is stated separately rather than averaged in.

PFAS has been tested at 41.3% of communities here, and 3 are above the limits EPA set in 2024. Coverage matters: states that test more find more, so this figure is not comparable with a state that has tested less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Missouri tap water safe to drink? ▼
99.7% of communities have no open violation on record. 3 have PFAS above the federal limit set in 2024, which is the main open concern.
Does Missouri have a lead problem? ▼
6 water systems report a 90th-percentile lead result at or above the 15 ppb action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and 377 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for Missouri? ▼
Lead results are reported for 100.0% of communities and PFAS for 41.3%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does Missouri compare with other states? ▼
We do not rank states against each other. Lead reporting completeness ranges from under 20% to 100% depending on the state, so a national ranking would compare filing practice rather than water quality.