These states ranked the best for drinking water quality in 2024

As localities continue to face the impacts of climate change and stricter regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding “forever chemicals,” drinking water quality is becoming an increasing concern for American cities and counties.

Trust in tap water safety has proven a challenge, with 41% of customers claiming they do not believe their local utility’s drinking water is safe to drink, according to J.D. Power, a data analytics and consumer intelligence company.

Some states have fared better than others when it comes to drinking water quality and trust, and a recent survey from J.D. Power sought out to find which states are producing the best tap water in the country based on customer satisfaction.

Customers were asked to rate their drinking water based on taste, color, odor and hardness on a scale of 1–10. The survey drew feedback from 32,833 customers using water produced from 92 water utilities delivering water to populations of at least 400,000.

Washington ranked the highest in the survey, with 84.5% of customers scoring the state’s drinking water quality positively.

“Our staff’s focus is to support safe and reliable drinking water to Washington,” Holly Myers, director of the Washington Department of Health Office of Drinking Water, told AC&C in an email. “The results of the survey are testament not only to the successful effort to educate and support water systems to address PFAS, but also the need to continue efforts to adapt to federal changes related to PFAS for higher percentages of customer awareness and trust.”

The J.D. Power survey, conducted from June 2023 through March 2024, also pinpointed states with the lowest water quality favorability scores, with Arizona, New Mexico and Alabama earning the lowest with 62.6%, 65.2% and 65.8% of customers ranking them favorability, respectively.

In April, the EPA introduced national limits on PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, in drinking water. The J.D. Power survey found that only 2% of water utility customers across the country recalled receiving communication from their utility provider regarding PFAS contamination or “steps they are taking to address the issue.”

“For customers to truly feel like their utility is a partner in their family’s health, utilities must find a way to not just provide cleaner drinking water, but to effectively communicate the strides they are taking to ensure the quality of that water,” J.D. Power stated. “By doing so, water districts around the country will likely see an increase in customer satisfaction and confidence.”

To see which 10 states customers ranked the highest for drinking water quality, click the gallery above.