About WaterCheck

WaterCheck makes public water quality data easy to understand. We take EPA violation records and present them in a simple, searchable format so you can quickly check the water quality in your area.

Where does the data come from?

All data comes from the EPA's ECHO database (Enforcement and Compliance History Online), which tracks violations reported by public water systems under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This includes health-based violations (contaminant levels exceeding federal limits), monitoring violations (missed testing deadlines), and reporting violations.

What does a violation mean?

Not all violations mean your water is unsafe. The EPA requires water systems to report even minor administrative issues like late paperwork. Health-based violations are the most serious — they indicate a contaminant exceeded federal safety limits. Monitoring violations mean a system missed a required testing deadline, which doesn't necessarily reflect water quality.

Limitations

• Data covers public water systems only. Private wells are not included.
• Some ZIP codes may only show small or private community systems rather than the main municipal provider if the EPA data doesn't map the larger system to that ZIP code.
• Violation data is updated quarterly and may not reflect the most recent changes.
• WaterCheck is not a substitute for official water quality reports from your local utility (Consumer Confidence Reports).

Contact

Questions or feedback? Reach out at hello@watercheck.us.