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Nebraska Water Quality Report

200 cities tested · Average grade: A- · 1.7M people served

Cities Tested
200
Avg Score
85.8
Population Served
1.7M
Avg Grade
A-
Live Water Alerts for Nebraska →
Analysis

Nebraska water quality overview

Nebraska's drinking water quality is excellent overall, with an average score of 85.8 out of 100 across 200 cities tested. The median score is 87.9, serving a total population of 1,654,965 residents. 93% of cities earned an A or B grade, indicating broadly strong water quality infrastructure across the state. PFAS "forever chemicals" were detected in 47 of 200 cities tested (24%). 4 cities exceed the 2024 EPA maximum contaminant levels. 4 cities have lead levels exceeding the EPA action level of 15 ppb, often indicating aging infrastructure with lead service lines or lead solder. The state relies on a mix of water sources: 191 cities use groundwater while 8 draw from surface water such as rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.

Key Concerns

Issues to watch in Nebraska

47 cities
PFAS Detected
24% of tested cities have PFAS in their water supply.
4 cities
Lead Exceedances
Lead levels above the EPA action level of 15 ppb (90th percentile).
195 cities
Health Violations
4,572 total violations recorded, 172 with unresolved issues.
1 cities
Failing Systems
Received a grade of F, indicating serious water quality issues.
Contaminant Data

Explore contaminants in Nebraska

Lead in Nebraska → Ranked by 90th percentile level (ppb) PFAS in Nebraska → Ranked by compounds detected Copper in Nebraska → Ranked by 90th percentile level (mg/L)

More contaminants tested in Nebraska

HAA5 → Chromium-6 → Arsenic → Nitrate → Strontium → 1,4-Dioxane → Manganese → Vanadium → Chlorate → Molybdenum → Cobalt → Lithium → NDMA → Perchlorate →
State context
18
Superfund sites in Nebraska
EPA National Priorities List
73.8%
of Nebraska residents on fluoridated water
CDC, 2020
5,678,017
lbs released to surface water
Top 10 TRI facilities, 2023
7.5%
of Nebraska domestic wells exceed EPA arsenic limit
USGS, 1,241 samples · 10 µg/L MCL
Domestic well chemistry

Private-well water in Nebraska

Based on USGS Powell Domestic-Well Database — 2,679 private wells sampled across Nebraska. These wells are not regulated by the EPA; if you draw your tap from a private well, the public-system grade above does not apply to you.

4.0 µg/L
Median arsenic in domestic wells
P90 9.0 µg/L · max 72.7 µg/L
202 µg/L
Median manganese in domestic wells
40.3% exceed 300 µg/L aesthetic limit
Industrial pollution

Top industrial water polluters in Nebraska

Industrial polluters nearby

The 10 facilities reporting the most pounds released to surface water in Nebraska, 2023.

Total reported releases to surface water: 5,678,017 lbs

FacilityTop chemicalTo surface water (lbs/yr)
TYSON FRESH MEATS INC
Food · TYSON FOODS INC
LEXINGTON, NE68850
Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)2,003,672
SMITHFIELD FRESH MEATS CORP-CRETE
Food · UNITED GLOBAL FOODS US HOLDINGS INC
CRETE, NE68333
Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)1,965,936
CARGILL MEAT SOLUTIONS CORP
Food · CARGILL INC
SCHUYLER, NE68661
Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)1,284,857
CARGILL CORN MILLING NORTH AMERICA
Food · CARGILL INC
BLAIR, NE680082649
Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)174,400
DARLING INGREDIENTS INC.
Food · DARLING INGREDIENTS INC
WAHOO, NE68066
Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)144,576

+ 5 more facilities

Source: EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) 2023

Test your own tap

Get your Nebraska water tested

City-level data shows the source and infrastructure picture — but lead and other home-plumbing issues only show up at your tap. Find a state-certified lab, see what to test for, and what it costs.
Grade Distribution

How Nebraska cities scored

A: 137 B: 48 C: 12 D: 2 F: 1

Best Cities

  1. A+ Kimball 97
  2. A+ David City 96.9
  3. A+ Geneva 96.8

Worst Cities

  1. F Columbus 41
  2. D+ Chadron 50.5
  3. D+ Wisner 51
City Map

Water quality across Nebraska

Each dot is a city, colored by its water quality grade. Size reflects population served. Click any city to view its full water report.

All Cities

200 cities in Nebraska

Full rankings →
# City Grade Score Population Violations
1 Kimball A+
97
3K 0
2 David City A+
96.9
3K 1
3 Geneva A+
96.8
2K 2
4 St Paul A+
96.6
2K 3
5 Madison A+
96.6
2K 3
6 Grant A+
96.5
1K 5
7 Crete A+
96.2
8K 5
8 Utica A+
96.1
840 4
9 Burwell A+
95.9
1K 8
10 Yutan A+
95.8
1K 8
11 Fort Calhoun A+
95.6
1K 4
12 Imperial A+
95.3
2K 6
13 Bellevue A+
95.3
740 1
14 Overton A+
95.3
600 15
15 Cozad A+
95.1
4K 6
16 Gordon A
94.7
2K 9
17 Callaway A
94.6
563 16
18 Homer A
94.6
532 11
19 Pawnee City (Rr Name Pawnee) A
94.4
830 4
20 Ogallala A
94.2
5K 23
21 Broken Bow A
94.2
4K 7
22 Hartington A
94.2
1K 9
23 Elm Creek A
94.2
901 5
24 Ainsworth A
94.1
2K 20
25 Blue Hill A
94.1
941 5
26 Alma A
94
1K 15
27 Elgin A
93.7
717 16
28 Dorchester A
93.7
586 15
29 Clay Center A
93.5
730 10
30 Franklin A
93.4
950 11
31 Oxford A
93.4
719 10
32 Shelby A
93.3
714 11
33 Tekamah A
93.2
2K 11
34 Cairo A
93.2
785 13
35 Chappell A
93.1
891 13
36 Loup City A
93
1K 13
37 Bertrand A
93
750 14
38 Weeping Water A
92.6
1K 8
39 Hemingford A
92.6
810 15
40 Harvard A
92.5
1K 5
41 Oshkosh A
92.5
809 11
42 Neligh A
92.2
2K 19
43 Ravenna A
92.2
1K 13
44 Arnold A
92.2
592 5
45 Pawnee City A
92.1
2K 5
46 Atkinson A
92.1
1K 19
47 Verdigre A
92.1
552 14
48 Alliance A
92
8K 25
49 Morrill A
92
2K 34
50 Randolph A
91.9
944 12
51 Hickman A
91.8
3K 31
52 Red Cloud A
91.7
1K 8
53 Ord A
91.5
2K 3
54 Syracuse A
91.4
5K 11
55 Murray A
91.3
3K 4
56 Clarkson A
91.3
641 16
57 Wausa A
91.2
762 5
58 Murdock A
91.1
2K 23
59 Sidney A
91
7K 36
60 Cortland A
91
529 20
61 Sutherland A
90.9
1K 8
62 Battle Creek A
90.9
1K 15
63 Holdrege A
90.8
6K 17
64 Valentine A
90.8
3K 3
65 Culbertson A
90.8
534 16
66 Arlington A
90.5
1K 3
67 Bartley A
90.4
710 23
68 Superior A
90.3
2K 5
69 Falls City A
90.2
5K 9
70 Springfield A
90.1
2K 20
71 Bassett A
90.1
700 11
72 Hershey A-
89.9
665 2
73 Dakota City A-
89.8
4K 2
74 Hebron A-
89.7
2K 8
75 Pierce A-
89.6
2K 7
76 Deshler A-
89.4
747 11
77 Mead A-
89.4
569 10
78 Minden A-
89.2
3K 6
79 Creighton A-
89.2
1K 12
80 Kenesaw A-
89.1
919 13
81 St. Edward A-
89.1
710 10
82 Tilden A-
89
957 14
83 Dodge A-
89
612 13
84 Central City A-
88.9
3K 13
85 Wood River A-
88.9
1K 7
86 Newman Grove A-
88.9
721 14
87 Bloomfield A-
88.8
1K 8
88 Nebraska City A-
88.7
8K 10
89 Gothenburg A-
88.7
4K 3
90 Indianola A-
88.7
939 35
91 Coleridge A-
88.7
533 13
92 Rushville A-
88.6
888 18
93 Crawford A-
88.5
840 21
94 Valley A-
88.3
4K 8
95 Bayard A-
88.3
1K 59
96 Shelton A-
88.3
1K 12
97 Hooper A-
88.3
852 21
98 Laurel A-
88.2
972 27
99 De Witt A-
88.1
598 11
100 Exeter A-
88.1
591 4
101 Winnetoon A-
87.9
640 12
102 Genoa A-
87.8
898 9
103 Doniphan A-
87.8
829 7
104 Schuyler A-
87.7
7K 21
105 Aurora A-
87.7
5K 8
106 Cedar Bluffs A-
87.7
600 13
107 Sargent A-
87.7
550 23
108 Sutton A-
87.6
1K 10
109 Bennet (Bennett) A-
87.5
7K 19
110 Spencer A-
87.4
840 46
111 Wymore A-
87.3
3K 22
112 Terrytown A-
87.3
1K 19
113 North Bend A-
87
1K 6
114 Lyons A-
87
824 7
115 Wilber A-
86.9
2K 6
116 Fairmont A-
86.7
600 9
117 Beatrice A-
86.5
12K 19
118 Wayne A-
86.5
6K 20
119 Auburn A-
86.5
5K 26
120 O'Neill A-
86.5
4K 34
121 Minatare A-
86.4
809 44
122 Bridgeport A-
86.2
2K 33
123 Cambridge A-
86.2
1K 43
124 Friend A-
86.2
964 13
125 Peru A-
86.2
650 9
126 Waverly A-
86.1
4K 12
127 Seward A-
86
8K 27
128 Mitchell A-
85.7
2K 12
129 Arapahoe A-
85.7
1K 19
130 Tecumseh A-
85.6
3K 20
131 Winnebago A-
85.6
1K 52
132 Eagle A-
85.5
1K 17
133 Scottsbluff A-
85.3
14K 31
134 Fairbury A-
85.2
5K 8
135 Greenwood A-
85.1
600 19
136 Valparaiso A-
85.1
600 4
137 West Point A-
85
4K 7
138 Wahoo B+
84.8
5K 18
139 Wauneta B+
84.7
549 36
140 Curtis B+
84.6
806 6
141 Oakland B+
84.5
5K 7
142 Osmond B+
84.5
870 38
143 Scribner B+
84.5
857 2
144 Howells B+
84.5
567 28
145 Fullerton B+
84.4
1K 15
146 Palmyra B+
84.4
567 13
147 Trenton B+
84.2
501 17
148 Beemer B+
84.1
3K 32
149 Henderson B+
84.1
1K 38
150 Adams B+
84.1
606 161
151 Axtell B+
83.9
880 35
152 Benkelman B+
83.8
850 70
153 Hay Springs B+
83.8
614 9
154 Elkhorn B+
83.5
750 10
155 Stanton B+
83.4
2K 23
156 Osceola B+
83.3
875 4
157 Juniata B+
82.9
757 7
158 Wakefield B+
82.8
1K 13
159 Gering B+
82.5
9K 45
160 Beaver City B+
81.7
604 4
161 Albion B+
81.2
2K 30
162 South Sioux City B+
81
14K 11
163 Elmwood B+
81
698 7
164 Waterloo B+
80.6
962 8
165 Union B+
80.6
616 48
166 Norfolk B+
80.1
29K 24
167 Stromsburg B
79.5
1K 9
168 Kennard B
79.4
1K 24
169 Alda B
79.1
737 60
170 Louisville B
78.7
1K 6
171 Grand Island B
78.6
51K 7
172 Plattsmouth B
78.5
11K 12
173 Humphrey B
77.4
842 63
174 Ceresco B
77.3
919 4
175 Milford B
77.1
2K 62
176 Gibbon B
76.6
2K 25
177 Elwood B
76.5
880 63
178 Ashland B
76.3
3K 32
179 Mccook B-
74.8
7K 36
180 Humboldt B-
74.7
2K 136
181 Hastings B-
73.8
26K 21
182 Firth B-
73.3
680 51
183 Macy B-
71.1
2K 63
184 Lexington B-
70.2
11K 57
185 Crofton B-
70.2
3K 61
186 Kearney C+
70
35K 94
187 Blair C+
69.8
14K 95
188 Gretna C+
68.2
11K 52
189 Papillion C+
68
35K 26
190 North Platte C+
67.9
25K 70
191 Fremont C+
67
29K 102
192 Ponca C+
65.4
972 52
193 Plainview C
64.4
1K 28
194 Niobrara C
60.2
995 55
195 York C-
59
9K 121
196 Omaha C-
56.5
664K 66
197 Lincoln C-
56.5
298K 121
198 Wisner D+
51
1K 48
199 Chadron D+
50.5
7K 52
200 Columbus F
41
24K 137
Counties

Browse Nebraska counties

Adams 3 cities · avg 81.9 Antelope 2 cities · avg 93 Boone 2 cities · avg 85.2 Box Butte 2 cities · avg 92.3 Boyd 1 city · avg 87.4 Brown 1 city · avg 94.1 Buffalo 5 cities · avg 84.3 Burt 3 cities · avg 88.2 Butler 1 city · avg 96.9 Cass 9 cities · avg 84.9 Cedar 5 cities · avg 86.6 Chase 2 cities · avg 90 Cherry 1 city · avg 90.8 Cheyenne 1 city · avg 91 Clay 3 cities · avg 91.2 Colfax 3 cities · avg 87.8 Cuming 3 cities · avg 73.4 Custer 4 cities · avg 92.2 Dakota 3 cities · avg 88.5 Dawes 2 cities · avg 69.5 Dawson 4 cities · avg 87.3 Deuel 1 city · avg 93.1 Dixon 2 cities · avg 74.1 Dodge 5 cities · avg 83.2 Douglas 4 cities · avg 77.2 Dundy 1 city · avg 83.8 Fillmore 3 cities · avg 90.5 Franklin 1 city · avg 93.4 Frontier 1 city · avg 84.6 Furnas 4 cities · avg 86.8 Gage 4 cities · avg 87.2 Garden 1 city · avg 92.5 Garfield 1 city · avg 95.9 Gosper 1 city · avg 76.5 Hall 5 cities · avg 85.5 Hamilton 1 city · avg 87.7 Harlan 1 city · avg 94 Hitchcock 2 cities · avg 87.5 Holt 2 cities · avg 89.3 Howard 1 city · avg 96.6 Jefferson 1 city · avg 85.2 Johnson 1 city · avg 85.6 Kearney 2 cities · avg 86.6 Keith 1 city · avg 94.2 Kimball 1 city · avg 97 Knox 6 cities · avg 84.9 Lancaster 5 cities · avg 79 Lincoln 3 cities · avg 82.9 Madison 5 cities · avg 89.1 Merrick 1 city · avg 88.9 Morrill 2 cities · avg 87.3 Nance 2 cities · avg 86.1 Nemaha 2 cities · avg 86.3 Nuckolls 1 city · avg 90.3 Otoe 3 cities · avg 88.2 Pawnee 2 cities · avg 93.3 Perkins 1 city · avg 96.5 Phelps 2 cities · avg 91.9 Pierce 3 cities · avg 79.5 Platte 2 cities · avg 59.2 Polk 3 cities · avg 85.4 Red Willow 3 cities · avg 84.6 Richardson 2 cities · avg 82.5 Rock 1 city · avg 90.1 Saline 5 cities · avg 90.2 Sarpy 4 cities · avg 80.4 Saunders 7 cities · avg 85.2 Scotts Bluff 6 cities · avg 86.5 Seward 3 cities · avg 86.4 Sheridan 3 cities · avg 89 Sherman 1 city · avg 93 Stanton 1 city · avg 83.4 Thayer 2 cities · avg 89.6 Valley 1 city · avg 91.5 Washington 4 cities · avg 83.8 Wayne 1 city · avg 86.5 Webster 2 cities · avg 92.9 York 2 cities · avg 71.5
ZIP Codes

Browse Nebraska by ZIP code

Look up water quality by ZIP code to find the systems serving your area.

View all Nebraska ZIP codes →
FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Nebraska's water

Is Nebraska's tap water safe to drink?

Nebraska's water quality varies by city. The statewide average grade is A- (85.8/100). 93% of cities scored an A or B, while 2% received a D or F. Check your specific city for detailed results.

Which Nebraska cities have the best water quality?

The top-rated cities are Kimball (A+), David City (A+), Geneva (A+). These cities scored highest based on violation history, lead levels, PFAS contamination, and regulatory compliance.

Which Nebraska cities have the worst water quality?

The lowest-rated cities are Columbus (F), Chadron (D+), Wisner (D+). We recommend residents in these areas consider water filtration and review their city's specific contaminant data.

How many Nebraska cities have PFAS in their water?

47 out of 200 cities tested positive for PFAS "forever chemicals" (24%). 4 cities exceed the 2024 EPA maximum contaminant levels. Reverse osmosis or activated carbon filters can help reduce PFAS exposure.

Do any Nebraska cities have dangerous lead levels?

4 cities exceed the EPA lead action level of 15 ppb. Lead contamination typically comes from aging pipes and lead service lines rather than the water source itself. An NSF 53-certified filter can effectively remove lead from tap water.

Water quality resources

Guide
How to Read Your Water Quality Report
Read guide →
Guide
Lead in Drinking Water
Read guide →
Guide
PFAS Forever Chemicals Explained
Read guide →
News
Latest Water Quality News
View all →
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