States › Vermont

Vermont Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 193 cities across Vermont — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 157 Cities covered: 193 Updated: 2026 Q2
A

Vermont earns an A for overall water quality

193 communities across 14 counties and 157 water systems. 100.0% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 2.20 ppb
23.8% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 25.4% of communities; 0 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 100.0% of communities
100.0% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
157
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
2.2 ppb
15% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
100%
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 Vermont

✓ Cleanest Water
Baltimore
Windsor County
2.3 ppb B
Whitingham
Windham County
1.7 ppb B
Leicester
Addison County
2.2 ppb A
Burlington
Chittenden County
1.4 ppb A
Essex
Chittenden County
0.0 ppb B
Williston
Chittenden County
1.2 ppb A
⚠ Needs Attention
Waterville
Lamoille County
0.6 ppb C
Stowe
Lamoille County
14.3 ppb C
Franklin
Franklin County
0.0 ppb C
Berkshire
Franklin County
0.5 ppb C
Plymouth
Windsor County
7.4 ppb C
Royalton
Windsor County
6.5 ppb C

Water Quality by County

14 of 14
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
Rutland County 20 2.4 ppb 0 A
Windsor County 19 2.3 ppb 0 A
Addison County 18 2.6 ppb 0 A
Chittenden County 18 3.0 ppb 0 A
Washington County 18 2.2 ppb 0 A
Windham County 16 1.9 ppb 0 A
Franklin County 14 1.8 ppb 0 A
Caledonia County 14 2.7 ppb 0 B
Orleans County 13 1.8 ppb 0 A
Bennington County 13 2.2 ppb 0 A

About Vermont Drinking Water

Vermont is served by 157 community water systems covering 193 communities across 14 counties. 100.0% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 147 communities, with a median of 2.20 ppb — 15% of the federal action level. A further 46 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 25.4% 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 Vermont tap water safe to drink? ▼
100.0% of communities have no open violation on record. No community has PFAS above the federal limit on record.
Does Vermont have a lead problem? ▼
7 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 46 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for Vermont? ▼
Lead results are reported for 100.0% of communities and PFAS for 25.4%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does Vermont 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.