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North Dakota Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 326 cities across North Dakota — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 190 Cities covered: 326 Updated: 2026 Q2
A

North Dakota earns an A for overall water quality

326 communities across 53 counties and 190 water systems. 98.2% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 2.04 ppb
39.6% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 32.8% of communities; 0 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 100.0% of communities
98.2% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
190
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
2.04 ppb
14% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
98.2%
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 North Dakota

✓ Cleanest Water
Alamo
Williams County
0.0 ppb A
Bismarck
Burleigh County
2.8 ppb B
Williston
Williams County
0.0 ppb A
Mandan
Morton County
0.0 ppb A
Wahpeton
Richland County
3.9 ppb A
Beulah
Mercer County
0.0 ppb A
⚠ Needs Attention
Cannon Ball
Sioux County
6.3 ppb D
Porcupine
Sioux County
6.3 ppb D
Fort Yates
Sioux County
6.3 ppb D
Solen
Sioux County
6.3 ppb D
Selfridge
Sioux County
6.3 ppb D
Harwood
Cass County
6.7 ppb C

Water Quality by County

53 of 53
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
Cass County 22 2.3 ppb 0 A
Richland County 14 3.9 ppb 0 A
Stutsman County 13 2.2 ppb 0 A
Barnes County 12 No data 0 A
Williams County 12 1.7 ppb 0 A
Walsh County 12 1.5 ppb 0 A
McLean County 10 3.1 ppb 0 A
Ward County 10 2.8 ppb 0 A
Traill County 10 1.7 ppb 0 A
Grand Forks County 10 3.1 ppb 0 A

About North Dakota Drinking Water

North Dakota is served by 190 community water systems covering 326 communities across 53 counties. 98.2% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 197 communities, with a median of 2.04 ppb — 14% of the federal action level. A further 129 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 32.8% of communities here, and 0 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 North Dakota tap water safe to drink? ▼
98.2% of communities have no open violation on record. No community has PFAS above the federal limit on record.
Does North Dakota have a lead problem? ▼
3 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 129 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for North Dakota? ▼
Lead results are reported for 100.0% of communities and PFAS for 32.8%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does North Dakota 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.