1. DRINKING WATER QUALITY

Definition: This indicator measures the percentage of the population served by community water systems that have a health violation.

Significance:  This indicator gives an idea of the quality of the drinking water supplied by public water systems. The usefulness of the data may be affected by how many citizens in a state receive their water from municipal water suppliers, and how many rely on other sources of drinking water, such as private wells. 

HISTORICAL/TREND ANALYSIS, Drinking Water Quality

Data reflect the total populations of South Carolina (SC), the United States (US), and the Southeast (SE).  The southeast region consists of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency

Selected State Rankings, Percent of Population Served by Facility Reporting a Health Violation, 2007 (“1” represents state with the highest percentage of systems with health violations. States are ranked from highest to lowest using a competition ranking method that accounts for ties occurring when two or more states have the same percent of population served by a facility reporting a health violation.)

2.  Impaired Waters

Definition:  Federal law directs each state to identify its water bodies (lakes, rivers, streams, etc.) for which a water quality standard cannot be implemented because of the level of pollution in the water bodies.  The states must make a priority ranking of these waters, considering the severity of the pollution and the uses to be made of the waters.

Significance:  The lists of impaired waters prepared by each state pursuant to Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act provide an indication of the state’s overall surface water quality.

ANALYSIS, Impaired Waters

Data reflect South Carolina (SC) total, United States (US) average, and Southeast (SE) average.  The southeast region consists of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Source:  United States Environmental Protection Agency, 303(d) List Fact Sheet

Selected State Rankings, Number of Impaired Waters, 2002-2006 Listing Cycle (“1” represents state with the highest number of impaired water bodies, per 1998-2002 Listing Cycle)

Rev. 04.17.2008