Water Outages in the United States
Water outage, main break and boil water notice reports for the last 24 hours, then every state and 290 cities. Restoration times come from your water utility, not from this page. New to this? Start with our water outage guide.
This is the national page for water outages, water main breaks and boil water notices in the United States. In the last 24 hours there are 5 water outage reports from people using this site. Pick your state below, then your city, to see who supplies your water, who to call when it stops, and what the federal record says about your system.
Behind the page is EPA data on 48,096 community water systems serving about 326 million people, plus weather, storm and housing data for 290 cities. Restoration times always come from your water utility, not from this site.
Water outage reports by state and city
Last 24 hours. A busy city is a local cluster, not proof that the whole state has a problem.
Select a state for water outage information
Each state page lists the largest water systems, the state regulator, the weather record and the cities we cover. Systems and people served are for community water systems in EPA's database; the last column is the share of systems with a health-based violation since 2015.
Source: EPA SDWIS.
The US drinking water system in numbers
EPA's federal drinking water database lists 48,096 active community water systems in the 50 states, serving about 326 million people. The number surprises most people. Your water does not come from one national network. It comes from one of tens of thousands of separate utilities, each with its own pipes, pumps, operators and phone number.
Most of them are small. 80% of systems serve 3,300 people or fewer, often from a single well or one treatment building and one operator. That is why a water outage in a small town can last longer than one in a big city: there is no second plant to take over, and the repair crew may be one truck. At the other end, 479 systems serve more than 100,000 people each, and a failure there leaves tens of thousands of homes dry at once.
| Size of system | Systems | Share of all systems |
|---|---|---|
| Very small (500 people or fewer) | 25,746 | 54% |
| Small (501 to 3,300) | 12,925 | 27% |
| Medium (3,301 to 10,000) | 4,905 | 10% |
| Large (10,001 to 100,000) | 4,041 | 8% |
| Very large (over 100,000) | 479 | 1% |
Community systems serve the same people year-round. Schools, campgrounds and other non-residential systems are not included. Source: EPA SDWIS.
36,549 systems (76%) rely mainly on groundwater and 10,915 (23%) on surface water such as rivers and reservoirs; the rest buy water from another system or mix sources. The difference decides what an outage looks like. Groundwater systems depend on well pumps and electricity, so a power cut is a common cause. Surface-water systems depend on a treatment plant running around the clock, so a plant problem can lower pressure across a whole city.
Why the water goes out: five causes behind most outages
The report you send to a utility says "no water." The cause behind it is almost always one of these.
- Water main breaks. ASCE's Infrastructure Report Card has put the national rate at a break roughly every two minutes, with about 6 billion gallons of treated water lost each day. Most breaks are in cast iron and early steel pipe laid decades ago, and most come in the cold months, when the ground freezes and thaws and shifts the pipe.
- Freezing weather. Frozen service lines and meters cause single-address outages; frost heave and thaw cause street-wide breaks. The February 2021 freeze showed the other side of it. Demand doubled as people dripped taps, plants ran at their limit and millions of Texans were told to boil water. Our Oklahoma City water page walks through how that played out hour by hour.
- Power loss at pumps and plants. Wells, booster stations and treatment plants run on the grid. A storm that takes down power lines can drop water pressure even when no pipe is damaged, and hurricanes do it across entire regions.
- Flooding and heavy rain. High water can wash out the ground under pipe, flood pump stations and overwhelm treatment plants. In late August 2022 a river flood and a failing treatment plant left Jackson, Mississippi, with little or no safe running water for days, and boil notices followed.
- Scheduled work and damage by other crews. Planned shutoffs come with notice. A contractor striking a main does not, and can dry up a block in seconds.
If your neighbors have water and you do not, the cause is usually inside your own home: a closed shutoff valve, a frozen line or a failed pressure regulator.
What the EPA record shows: health-based violations by year
EPA's database records 84,394 health-based violations at 14,952 community water systems since 2015, which is 31% of all systems. A health-based violation means a contaminant went over its legal limit or a required treatment step was not done. It does not mean everyone on that system was exposed, and many are resolved within months. It is still the best public measure of how reliably a system treats water.
Busiest year: 2024 (11,722 violations). Counted by the year the violation period began; recent years can still be revised as states report. Source: EPA SDWIS.
The most common kinds of drinking water violation
Nearly all violations are slow, technical failures rather than sudden events. A contaminant creeping above its limit across a year of sampling, or a treatment step that was not corrected on time, is far more common than a one-day emergency.
| Violation | Count | Share of all |
|---|---|---|
| a contaminant average over the legal limit | 50,864 | 60% |
| an uncorrected deficiency under the Ground Water Rule | 7,318 | 9% |
| a single contaminant reading over the limit | 4,787 | 6% |
| a treatment technique failure under the surface water rules | 4,263 | 5% |
| treatment run without a certified operator | 1,417 | 2% |
| treated water above the monthly turbidity limit | 1,367 | 2% |
| a failure to remove disinfection byproduct precursors | 945 | 1% |
Contaminant averages include nitrate, arsenic, radionuclides, disinfection byproducts and other regulated substances. Source: EPA SDWIS.
Which states have the most and fewest drinking water violations
The share of systems with a health-based violation since 2015 runs from 7% in Hawaii to 75% in Oklahoma. The differences come partly from geography (naturally occurring arsenic and radium in some aquifers, nitrate in farm country), partly from how many very small systems a state has, and partly from how strictly the state regulator reports.
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Source: EPA SDWIS.
A low number does not make a state immune from outages. Violations measure water quality; an outage is a failure of delivery. Use the state table below to open any state's water page, which adds that state's largest systems, its weather record and its regulator.
Lead, old pipes and what to do after an outage
Lead is not an outage problem, but the two overlap. When pressure drops or a main is repaired, sediment and scale in old pipes can be disturbed. Homes built before 1970 are the ones most likely to have lead service lines or lead solder, and lead service lines stayed legal until the federal ban in 1986.
Across the 290 cities we cover, 23 had a 90th-percentile lead result above the 15 ppb federal action level at some point in EPA's records. EPA's 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements require utilities to inventory their lead service lines and replace them over a ten-year period. After any outage, run the cold tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before drinking, and ask your utility whether your address is on its lead line inventory.
Boil water notices: what they mean and how to boil water safely
A boil water notice, also called a boil advisory or precautionary boil order, is issued when pressure in the system has dropped or treatment has failed. Low pressure lets contaminants flow into the pipes. The notice is a precaution until lab tests prove the water is clean, not a finding that it is contaminated.
- Bring water to a full rolling boil for 1 minute. At elevations above 6,500 feet, boil for 3 minutes. This is the CDC's guidance.
- Let it cool on its own and store it in clean, covered containers.
- Use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing fruit and vegetables, preparing baby formula and food, and giving to pets.
- Showering is generally fine if you avoid swallowing the water. Wash dishes in hot, soapy water and finish with a rinse of boiled water or a dilute bleach solution.
- Do not use the fridge ice maker or water dispenser until the notice is lifted; discard ice made during the advisory.
Most notices last one to two days after pressure returns, because the utility has to collect samples, wait for lab results and pass two clean rounds. The notice ends when the utility or the state health department says so, not when the water looks clear.
How long does a water outage last?
It depends on what failed. A single street with a broken main is usually back in under a day. A plant failure or a flood is measured in days. These are typical times, not promises; the number that counts is the one your utility gives for your street.
| Cause | Typical outage |
|---|---|
| Planned shutoff | The posted window, often 4 to 8 hours |
| Ordinary main break | Half a day to a full day once the crew has isolated the pipe |
| Large or deep main | 1 to 3 days |
| Pump or power failure | Hours, until power or the pump is back |
| Water treatment plant problem | Days, with a boil notice after service returns |
| Frozen service line or meter | Until it thaws or a plumber repairs it |
Source: Utility practice, EPA and state boil water guidance.
For anything affecting many customers, utilities usually post an estimated restoration time on their outage page or social accounts. If you call, ask for the crew's current estimate rather than the original one.
Be ready before the water stops
FEMA's minimum is one gallon of water per person per day, for at least three days. A household of four needs 12 gallons for a short outage, and 56 gallons for two weeks. Add water for pets.
- Your water heater is a hidden 30 to 50 gallon reserve. Turn off its power or gas, then draw from the drain valve.
- If a storm or planned shutoff is coming, fill the tub and a few buckets for flushing toilets and washing.
- Know where the main shutoff valve is. Close it if a pipe in your house bursts, and again after a boil notice if instructed.
- Keep bottled water, unscented household bleach and a few days of food that needs no water to prepare.
- Sign up for your utility's text or email alerts. It is the fastest way to hear about boil notices.
Water outage pages for the largest US cities
The twenty biggest water systems among the cities we cover, with the source of the water and health-based violations since 2015.
| City | Water system | People served | Source | Health violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | New York City System | 8,271,000 | Surface water | 1 |
| Los Angeles, CA | Los Angeles Department of Water and Power | 3,875,566 | Surface water | 2 |
| Houston, TX | City of Houston | 2,970,543 | Surface water | 1 |
| Chicago, IL | Chicago | 2,721,308 | Surface water | 0 |
| San Antonio, TX | San Antonio Water System | 2,643,729 | Bought surface water | 0 |
| Miami, FL | Miami-Dade Water and Sewer (main system) | 2,377,460 | Groundwater | 0 |
| Bowie, MD | Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission | 1,900,000 | Surface water | 0 |
| Gaithersburg, MD | Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission | 1,900,000 | Surface water | 0 |
| Phoenix, AZ | City of Phoenix | 1,695,000 | Surface water | 1 |
| Baltimore, MD | City of Baltimore | 1,600,000 | Surface water | 3 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia Water Department | 1,600,000 | Surface water | 0 |
| Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas Valley Water District | 1,539,277 | Bought surface water | 0 |
| Oakland, CA | East Bay Mud | 1,442,800 | Surface water | 0 |
| San Diego, CA | City of San Diego | 1,385,379 | Surface water | 0 |
| Dallas, TX | Dallas Water Utility | 1,356,479 | Surface water | 0 |
| Cleveland, OH | Cleveland Public Water System | 1,308,955 | Surface water | 0 |
| Parma, OH | Cleveland Public Water System | 1,308,955 | Surface water | 0 |
| Columbus, OH | Columbus Public Water System | 1,305,946 | Surface water | 1 |
| Denver, CO | Denver Water Board | 1,287,000 | Surface water | 0 |
| Charlotte, NC | Charlotte Water | 1,163,701 | Surface water | 0 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Find your city's water outage page
Every city below has its own page with the water system serving it, a weather and main break record, a boil water notice guide and local contacts.
Alabama: Birmingham · Huntsville · Mobile · Montgomery
Arizona: Mesa · Phoenix · Scottsdale · Tempe · Tucson
Arkansas: Fayetteville · Fort Smith · Little Rock
California: Anaheim · Bakersfield · Fontana · Fremont · Fresno · Irvine · Long Beach · Los Angeles · Modesto · Moreno Valley · Oakland · Oxnard · Riverside · Sacramento · San Bernardino · San Diego · San Francisco · San Jose · Santa Ana · Stockton
Colorado: Aurora · Colorado Springs · Denver · Fort Collins · Lakewood
Connecticut: Bridgeport · Hartford · New Haven · Stamford · Waterbury
Florida: Cape Coral · Clearwater · Coral Springs · Fort Lauderdale · Hialeah · Jacksonville · Lakeland · Miami · Miramar · Orlando · Pembroke Pines · Pompano Beach · Port St. Lucie · St. Petersburg · Tallahassee · Tampa · West Palm Beach
Georgia: Athens · Atlanta · Augusta · Columbus · Johns Creek · Macon · Roswell · Sandy Springs · Savannah
Idaho: Boise · Idaho Falls · Meridian · Nampa
Illinois: Aurora · Champaign · Chicago · Elgin · Joliet · Naperville · Peoria · Rockford · Springfield · Waukegan
Indiana: Carmel · Evansville · Fort Wayne · Indianapolis · South Bend
Iowa: Cedar Rapids · Davenport · Des Moines · Sioux City
Kansas: Kansas City · Overland Park · Topeka · Wichita
Kentucky: Bowling Green · Covington · Lexington · Louisville · Owensboro
Louisiana: Baton Rouge · Lafayette · Lake Charles · New Orleans · Shreveport
Maine: Bangor · Lewiston · South Portland
Maryland: Baltimore · Bowie · Frederick · Gaithersburg · Rockville
Massachusetts: Boston · Cambridge · Lowell · Worcester
Michigan: Ann Arbor · Dearborn · Detroit · Flint · Grand Rapids · Lansing · Livonia · Sterling Heights · Warren
Minnesota: Bloomington · Duluth · Minneapolis · Rochester · St. Paul
Mississippi: Gulfport · Jackson
Missouri: Columbia · Kansas City · Springfield · St. Louis
Montana: Billings · Bozeman · Great Falls · Missoula
Nebraska: Grand Island · Lincoln · Omaha
Nevada: Henderson · Las Vegas · North Las Vegas · Reno · Sparks
New Hampshire: Manchester · Nashua
New Jersey: Edison · Hamilton · Jersey City · Newark · Paterson · Toms River
New Mexico: Albuquerque · Las Cruces · Rio Rancho · Roswell · Santa Fe
New York: Buffalo · Mount Vernon · New York City · Rochester · Schenectady · Syracuse · Yonkers
North Carolina: Asheville · Cary · Charlotte · Durham · Fayetteville · Greensboro · High Point · Raleigh · Wilmington · Winston-Salem
North Dakota: Bismarck · Fargo · Minot
Ohio: Akron · Canton · Cincinnati · Cleveland · Columbus · Dayton · Lorain · Parma · Toledo · Youngstown
Oklahoma: Broken Arrow · Lawton · Norman · Oklahoma City · Tulsa
Oregon: Eugene · Gresham · Hillsboro · Portland · Salem
Pennsylvania: Allentown · Altoona · Erie · Harrisburg · Lancaster · Philadelphia · Pittsburgh · Reading
Rhode Island: Cranston · Providence · Warwick
South Dakota: Rapid City · Sioux Falls
Tennessee: Bartlett · Chattanooga · Clarksville · Franklin · Jackson · Johnson City · Knoxville · Memphis · Nashville
Texas: Abilene · Amarillo · Arlington · Austin · Beaumont · Brownsville · Corpus Christi · Dallas · El Paso · Fort Worth · Garland · Grand Prairie · Houston · Irving · Laredo · Lubbock · Mcallen · Plano · Round Rock · San Antonio
Utah: Orem · Provo · Salt Lake City · West Jordan
Virginia: Alexandria · Chesapeake · Hampton · Newport News · Richmond · Roanoke · Suffolk · Virginia Beach
Washington: Bellevue · Kent · Renton · Seattle · Spokane · Spokane Valley · Tacoma · Vancouver · Yakima
West Virginia: Charleston · Huntington · Morgantown · Parkersburg · Wheeling
Wisconsin: Appleton · Eau Claire · Janesville · Kenosha · Madison · Milwaukee · Racine · Waukesha
Water outage questions
Is there a water outage in my area right now?
Check your state or city page on this site for user reports from the last 24 hours, then your water utility's outage page or phone line. Reports here come from residents, not from the utility, so a city with no reports can still have an outage nobody logged.
Who do I call when the water goes out?
Call the water utility that sends your bill; most have a 24-hour dispatch line for main breaks and no-water calls. Use 911 only if a break is flooding a street or property. If you are not sure who supplies your water, each city page here lists the system EPA records for it.
How common are water main breaks?
Very. ASCE's Infrastructure Report Card has estimated a main break roughly every two minutes in the United States, with about 6 billion gallons of treated water lost daily. Most happen in the cold months, and older cast iron mains fail most often.
What is a boil water notice and how long does it last?
It is a precaution issued after pressure loss or a treatment failure. Boil water at a rolling boil for 1 minute (3 minutes above 6,500 feet) before drinking it. Plan on one to two days after service returns, while the utility collects samples and waits for clean lab results.
Why is my water pressure low?
If neighbors have the same problem, it is probably a main break, a pump or power problem, or peak evening demand, and your utility should hear about it. If only your home is affected, check the main shutoff valve, the pressure regulator and any clogged aerators or filters.
How much water should I store for an outage?
FEMA recommends at least one gallon per person per day for three days, so 12 gallons for a household of four. Two weeks is better if you can store it. Add water for pets, and remember the water heater holds 30 to 50 gallons.
Is tap water safe to drink after the water comes back?
Follow any boil water notice until the utility lifts it. If there was no notice, run the cold tap for a minute or two to clear air and sediment, and check that the water runs clear before drinking.
How many US water systems have had violations?
EPA lists 84,394 health-based violations at 14,952 of 48,096 community water systems since 2015, about 31%. Most are contaminant averages above a legal limit, not emergencies, and many are resolved within months.
Are the outage reports on this site official?
No. Report counts are submitted by residents and are not confirmed by any utility. The figures on water systems, violations and lead come from EPA, weather figures from NASA, storm counts from NOAA and housing from the Census Bureau, and each source is named under its chart.
Not sure what to do next? Read our water outage guide. Report counts are user-submitted; other figures name their official source. How our data works.