The 25 U.S. Cities with the Best Drinking Water

Tap water gets a bum rap. Sure, there are some places where maintenance and government failure or negligence has made drinking water dangerous (see: Flint, Michigan), but the tap water in most cities is perfectly fine. In fact, with exacting quality control and state-of-the-art filtration systems, you'll find that it's just as good as the

Tap water gets a bum rap. Sure, there are some places where maintenance and government failure or negligence has made drinking water dangerous (see: Flint, Michigan), but the tap water in most cities is perfectly fine. In fact, with exacting quality control and state-of-the-art filtration systems, you'll find that it's just as good as the stuff you'd normally get in a plastic bottle.

That's especially the case with the water in these 25 locales. That's right: we've dug into the data and ranked the 25 cities in America (out of the 200 biggest) with the cleanest drinking water. So read on, and stay hydrated! And for a list containing the flip-side, here are the 25 cities in America where you might want to consider drinking bottled water, after all.

Our Methodology: Our data includes areas with the lowest "pollution potential," provided by the Environmental Protection Agency; the lowest number of contaminants in the local water, according to the Environmental Working Group; and the annual American Water Works Association's "Best of the Best" drinking water taste tests (determined by water experts and industry leaders). Note: A city doesn't have to source its water from a natural spring or pristine river to have great drinking water, but it does have to have to taste good and have low levels of contaminants.

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 1
Number of Contaminants: 7
Other Detected Contaminants: 10
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments/Sq. Mile: 19
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 19
Clean Water Score: 85.62

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 0
Number of Contaminants: 3
Other Detected Contaminants: 8
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments/Sq. Mile: 12
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 4
Clean Water Score: 85.84

Salem, drunkest cities, best drinking water

Number of Contaminants: 3
Other Detected Contaminants: 7
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments/Sq. Mile: 34
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 22
Clean Water Score: 86.44

Number of Contaminants: 2
Other Detected Contaminants: 9
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments/Sq. Mile: 18
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 24
Clean Water Score: 86.58

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 1
Number of Contaminants: 7
Other Detected Contaminants: 9
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments/Sq. Mile: 8
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 29
Clean Water Score: 86.63

Number of Contaminants: 5
Other Detected Contaminants: 3
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments/Sq. Mile: 12
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 4
Clean Water Score: 86.84

Oakland, happiest cities, fittest cities, healthiest cities, flip a house, longest commutes, commute, rent, property, best drinking water

Number of Contaminants: 2
Other Detected Contaminants: 9
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments/Sq. Mile: 11
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 1
Clean Water Score: 86.88

Boise, happiest cities, drunkest cities, fittest cities, healthiest cities, best singles scenes, best cities to buy a mansion, best job opportunities, best drinking water

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 1
Number of Contaminants: 5
Other Detected Contaminants: 12
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments/Sq. Mile: 43
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 23
Clean Water Score: 87.34

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 1
Number of Contaminants: 5
Other Detected Contaminants: 12
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments/Sq. Mile: 39
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 16
Clean Water Score: 87.45

fattest cities, drunkest cities, best singles scenes, flip a house, rent, property, best job opportunities, best drinking water

Number of Contaminants: 3
Other Detected Contaminants: 6
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments/Sq. Mile: 29
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 13
Clean Water Score: 87.58

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 1
Number of Contaminants: 7
Other Detected Contaminants: 8
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments/Sq. Mile: 19
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 19
Clean Water Score: 87.62

Number of Contaminants: 3
Other Detected Contaminants: 6
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 12
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 4
Clean Water Score: 87.84

Hayward, CA, worst singles scenes, sunrise, longest commutes, commute, best drinking water

Number of Contaminants: 3
Other Detected Contaminants: 5
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 11
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 1
Clean Water Score: 89

Joliet, drunkest cities, worst singles scenes, longest commutes, commute, best drinking water

Number of Contaminants: 2
Other Detected Contaminants: 7
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 10
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 2
Clean Water Score: 89

Aurora, happiest cities, healthiest cities, worst singles scenes, longest commutes, commute, best drinking water

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 1
Number of Contaminants: 4
Other Detected Contaminants: 11
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 38
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 31
Clean Water Score: 90.31

Baltimore, drunkest cities, fattest cities, longest commutes, commute, rent, property, best job opportunities, sleepless cities, best drinking water

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 1
Number of Contaminants: 3
Other Detected Contaminants: 13
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 7
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 35
Clean Water Score: 90.58

drunkest cities, storm, bench, best drinking water

Number of Contaminants: 3
Other Detected Contaminants: 3
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 13
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 18
Clean Water Score: 90.69

Cincinnati, drunkest cities, best singles scenes, sleepless cities, best drinking water

Number of Contaminants: 2
Other Detected Contaminants: 5
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 6
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 11
Clean Water Score: 90.83

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 1
Number of Contaminants: 4
Other Detected Contaminants: 11
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 12
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 4
Clean Water Score: 90.84

port st lucie, best tax friendly cities

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 0
Number of Contaminants: 2
Other Detected Contaminants: 4
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 12
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 4
Clean Water Score: 92

Savannah, drunkest cities, best singles scenes, sleepless cities, best drinking water

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 1
Number of Contaminants: 5
Other Detected Contaminants: 7
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 19
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 19
Clean Water Score: 93

Charleston, longest-living cities, fattest cities, drunkest cities, best singles scenes, best cities to buy a mansion, best job opportunities, best drinking water

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 2
Number of Contaminants: 7
Other Detected Contaminants: 10
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 21
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 32
Clean Water Score: 96

sleepless cities, best drinking water

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 2
Number of Contaminants: 6
Other Detected Contaminants: 10
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 27
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 27
Clean Water Score: 98

Tallahassee, longest-living cities, drunkest cities, fittest cities, healthiest cities, best singles scenes, best cities to buy a mansion, best drinking water

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 2
Number of Contaminants: 4
Other Detected Contaminants: 9
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 12
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 4
Clean Water Score: 103

Best of the Best Wins in Last Five Years: 2
Number of Contaminants: 2
Other Detected Contaminants: 6
EPA Rank of Number of Manufacturing Establishments /Sq. Mile: 45
EPA Rank of the Total Farm Ag. Chemical Expenses: 21
Clean Water Score: 110

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