Loading water data...
66 cities ranked best to worst by EPA-record water quality score
Greenville has the best tap water grade in South Carolina (A, 100/100); Okatie is lowest (D, 61/100). 6 of the 66 graded systems have a health-based EPA violation in the last five years; 50% earn a B or better, so safety depends on your utility. Statewide, South Carolina ranks #44 of 51 states for water quality (average 84/100 vs 87 nationally) — see every state's rank.
This page ranks the 66 South Carolina cities whose water systems we have matched to EPA records. Every city starts at 100 points and loses points for health-based EPA violations in the last five years (SDWIS 2026Q2), its most recent Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile result, PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2026 UCMR5 monitoring, and 2012–2019 compliance samples that averaged near or above a limit. Letters follow fixed bands (A ≥90, B ≥80, C ≥70, D ≥60, F below 60). Cities run from the highest score (Greenville) down to the lowest (Okatie); ties are ordered by population served. See the full scoring methodology for every deduction and the data vintages.
An A or B grade points to water that consistently tests within federal safety limits, while a C suggests moderate issues worth watching and a D or F flags contaminants or compliance problems serious enough to act on. These grades describe system-level water leaving the treatment plant — they can't account for your home's own plumbing, so older houses with lead service lines or fixtures can add contaminants after the water arrives. For a contaminant-by-contaminant view, see the South Carolina contaminant breakdown or drill into the county-level rankings.
What the EPA service line inventory and our South Carolina guide say, beyond the scores.
This ranking covers 66 South Carolina cities. Those 18 systems report serving 2,561,345 people in EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS).
Of all 66 cities South Carolina cities we can grade from EPA records, 33 cities (50%) grade B or better, 30 sit in the C range and 3 grade D or F. The average score is 84/100.
EPA records 7 health-based violations in the last five years across 6 cities, and 1 city still has a health-based violation listed as unresolved. Monitoring and reporting violations (37 in the same window) are paperwork lapses and cost far fewer points.
66 cities have a Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile result from 2020 or later: 6 cities at 5 ppb or more.
EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring (2023–2026) covers 66 cities: PFAS were detected in 44 cities, and PFOA or PFOS reached EPA's 4 ppt limit in 33 cities.
Chesnee scores highest (100) and Okatie lowest (61), a 39-point spread.
The clearest hard data for South Carolina is EPA's service line inventory, updated 2026-08-18 (Q2 2026). 643 South Carolina systems inventoried 2,040,969 service lines: 7,999 confirmed lead plus 11,251 galvanized lines requiring replacement, spread across 17 systems. Another 349,307 lines (17%) are still of unknown material, which EPA counts as possible lead until verified.
Of the 18 city-linked South Carolina utilities with an inventory on file, 4 report at least one lead or galvanized-requiring-replacement line, 3 report none but still have a quarter or more of their lines unverified, and 11 report no lead with most lines verified. GREENVILLE WATER (SC2310001), which serves Greenville and 426,057 people, is the biggest and reports no lead lines and 100% of lines verified non-lead. The most lead lines among city-linked systems belong to CHARLESTON WATER SYSTEM (SC1010001) (Charleston): 6,504.
| Contaminant | Federal limit | Cities elevated | Over limit | Highest reading | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFAS | EPA 2024 MCLs of 4.0 ppt for PFOA and PFOS | 33 | 33 | Laurens | PFAS are linked to immune, developmental, liver and some cancer effects. |
| Total Trihalomethanes | EPA MCL 0.080 mg/L (80 ppb) | 19 | 0 | Newberry | Total Trihalomethanes is associated with liver, kidney and nervous-system effects and increased cancer risk over long exposure. |
| Haloacetic Acids | EPA MCL 0.060 mg/L (60 ppb) for HAA5 | 15 | 0 | Pawleys Island | Haloacetic Acids is associated with increased cancer risk over long exposure. |
| Radium | EPA MCL 5 pCi/L (combined radium-226/228) | 5 | 0 | Gilbert | Radium increases cancer risk with long exposure. |
| Lead | EPA action level 0.015 mg/L (15 ppb); health goal 0 | 2 | 0 | Winnsboro | Lead harms brain development in children and raises blood pressure and kidney risk in adults. |
Service line counts: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory, Q2 2026 snapshot (updated 2026-08-18). Limits: EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations.
How South Carolina's 66 cities are distributed by water quality grade
33 out of 66 cities meet or exceed a B grade for water quality
Sorted by water quality score from best to worst. Click any city for a detailed water quality report.
| Rank | City | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenville | 100/100 | A |
| 2 | Spartanburg | 100/100 | A |
| 3 | Lyman | 100/100 | A |
| #4 | Greer | 100/100 | A |
| #5 | Sumter | 100/100 | A |
| #6 | Inman | 100/100 | A |
| #7 | Seneca | 100/100 | A |
| #8 | Easley | 100/100 | A |
| #9 | Chesterfield | 100/100 | A |
| #10 | Chesnee | 100/100 | A |
| #11 | Dillon | 100/100 | A |
| #12 | Marion | 100/100 | A |
| #13 | Walterboro | 100/100 | A |
| #14 | North Augusta | 99/100 | A |
| #15 | Walhalla | 98/100 | A |
| #16 | Darlington | 97/100 | A |
| #17 | Cassatt | 97/100 | A |
| #18 | La France | 97/100 | A |
| #19 | Westminster | 97/100 | A |
| #20 | Six Mile | 97/100 | A |
| #21 | Rock Hill | 96/100 | A |
| #22 | Fort Mill | 96/100 | A |
| #23 | Dalzell | 96/100 | A |
| #24 | Tega Cay | 95/100 | A |
| #25 | Clemson | 94/100 | A |
| #26 | West Anderson | 94/100 | A |
| #27 | Lancaster | 93/100 | A |
| #28 | Pickens | 90/100 | A |
| #29 | Anderson | 88/100 | B |
| #30 | Belton | 87/100 | B |
| #31 | Orangeburg | 84/100 | B |
| #32 | Woodruff | 84/100 | B |
| #33 | Graniteville | 84/100 | B |
| #34 | Starr | 78/100 | C |
| #35 | Gilbert | 77/100 | C |
| #36 | Hilton Head Island | 76/100 | C |
| #37 | Camden | 76/100 | C |
| #38 | Shaw Afb | 76/100 | C |
| #39 | Fort Lawn | 75/100 | C |
| #40 | Charleston | 74/100 | C |
| #41 | Conway | 74/100 | C |
| #42 | Moncks Corner | 74/100 | C |
| #43 | Mount Pleasant | 74/100 | C |
| #44 | Summerville | 74/100 | C |
| #45 | Florence | 74/100 | C |
| #46 | Greenwood | 74/100 | C |
| #47 | Lexington | 74/100 | C |
| #48 | Laurens | 74/100 | C |
| #49 | Goose Creek | 74/100 | C |
| #50 | West Columbia | 74/100 | C |
| #51 | Lugoff | 74/100 | C |
| #52 | Gaffney | 74/100 | C |
| #53 | Johns Island (sta.) | 74/100 | C |
| #54 | Cayce | 74/100 | C |
| #55 | Union | 74/100 | C |
| #56 | Newberry | 74/100 | C |
| #57 | North Myrtle Beach | 73/100 | C |
| #58 | Winnsboro | 73/100 | C |
| #59 | Myrtle Beach | 72/100 | C |
| #60 | North Charleston | 72/100 | C |
| #61 | Fort Jackson | 71/100 | C |
| #62 | York | 71/100 | C |
| #63 | Pawleys Island | 70/100 | C |
| #64 | Aiken | 66/100 | D |
| #65 | Columbia | 61/100 | D |
| #66 | Okatie | 61/100 | D |
Sources: EPA SDWIS/ECHO violations and Lead and Copper Rule results (2026Q2 extract), UCMR5 PFAS occurrence (2023–2026), SYR4 compliance samples (2012–2019). Rubric v2 — methodology.
Found your city above? These guides turn its grade into an action plan.
Pitcher vs. under-sink vs. reverse osmosis, matched to the contaminants reported in South Carolina systems.
Taste, odor, trihalomethanes, and why a carbon filter handles them
Where it comes from, how to test, and which filters are NSF 53 certified to remove it
Best filters for lead →EPA's inventory of lead pipes by water system — a risk these plant-level grades cannot capture.
Put a South Carolina city next to where you're moving from (or to) and see every contaminant head to head.
The best water quality in South Carolina is found in Greenville with a score of 100/100 and a grade of A. This puts Greenville among the top-performing cities in the country for drinking water safety.
The most concerning water quality is in Okatie scoring 61/100 with a grade of D. Residents may want to consider home water testing and filtration options.
3 cities with D or F grades:
The statewide average score is 84/100, which is 3 points below the national average of 87/100. Only 44% of South Carolina cities score above the national average, suggesting statewide water quality improvement is needed.
3 South Carolina cities have a D or F grade. Residents in those areas — and anyone wanting extra protection — should consider a certified water filter that removes the specific contaminants found in South Carolina water systems.
Best for Multi-Contaminant Removal
APEC Reverse Osmosis System
Removes lead, PFAS, arsenic, nitrates, fluoride & 99%+ of contaminants. NSF certified.
Check Price on AmazonBest Pitcher Filter (Renter-Friendly)
ZeroWater 10-Cup Filter Pitcher
NSF 53 certified to reduce lead and chromium. No installation — fill from the tap and pour.
Check Price on AmazonWe may earn a commission when you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you.
Greenville has the best water quality grade among the 66 South Carolina cities we can grade, with a score of 100/100 (grade A). Scores start at 100 and lose points for health-based EPA violations, lead 90th-percentile results, PFAS detections in EPA's UCMR5 monitoring and historical (2012–2019) readings near a limit. 13 cities share this top score; the largest system is listed first.
It varies by utility. Across the 66 South Carolina cities we grade from EPA records, the average score is 84/100 and 50% earn a B or better. 6 cities have at least one health-based EPA violation in the last five years. 3 cities grade D or F; residents there should consider a certified filter matched to the finding on the city page. Lead from household plumbing is not captured by any city-level grade.
South Carolina ranks #44 of the 51 states we grade, with an average city score of 84/100 against a national average of 87/100. The state rank is the mean score of each state's graded cities from EPA records; within South Carolina, Greenville ranks #1 of 66 cities.
By population served: Greenville grades A (100/100, #1 of 66); Columbia grades D (61/100, #65 of 66, 1 health-based EPA violation in 5 years); Charleston grades C (74/100, #40 of 66); Conway grades C (74/100, #41 of 66); Spartanburg grades A (100/100, #2 of 66). Each city report lists the utility's violations, lead 90th-percentile result and PFAS results.
Of the 66 graded South Carolina cities, 3 cities have a D or F grade. Another 30 cities fall in the C range. 29 of 66 (44%) score above the national average of 87/100 across all graded U.S. cities in our dataset.
This page ranks 66 South Carolina cities from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (violations and lead results, 2026Q2), UCMR5 PFAS monitoring (2023–2026) and Six-Year Review sample data (2012–2019). Each city link opens a report with the utility's violation history, lead 90th-percentile results and PFAS table. For official Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR), contact your local water utility — federal law requires all community water systems to deliver an annual CCR to customers. The South Carolina state environmental agency and the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) also publish official water quality data.
State water quality summary and key statistics
Top 20 cities with the cleanest water
Top-ranked cities nationwide
Cities with the most concerning water
Compare water quality across all 50 states
Side-by-side water quality comparison
Which contaminants show up in South Carolina water
Certified filters matched to your contaminants