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.
25 | Macon, GA
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
24 | Pembroke Pines, FL
ShutterstockBest 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
23 | Salem, OR
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
22 | Memphis, TN
ShutterstockNumber 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
21 | Philadelphia, PA
ShutterstockBest 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
20 | Cape Coral, FL
ShutterstockNumber 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
19 | Oakland, CA
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
18 | Boisie, ID
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
17 | Olathe, KS
ShutterstockBest 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
16 | New Orleans, LA
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
15 | Augusta, GA
ESB Professional / ShutterstockBest 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
14 | Orlando, FL
ShutterstockNumber 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
13 | Hayward, CA
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
12 | Joliet, IL
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
11 | Aurora, CO
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
10 | Baltimore, MD
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
9 | Warren, MI
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
8 | Cincinnati, OH
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
7 | Miami, FL
ShutterstockBest 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
6 | Port St. Lucie, FL
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
5 | Savannah, GA
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
4 | Charleston, SC
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
3 | Louisville, KY
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
2 | Tallahassee, FL
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
1 | Sioux Falls, SD
ShutterstockBest 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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