U.S. Water Systems Serving the Most Disadvantaged Populations — 2026
Community water utilities serving populations with the highest percent of non-white residents and households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, using Census ACS 2019-2023 demographic data aggregated via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.
ranked
with demographic data
vintage
boundaries (March 2026)
These 100 U.S. water utilities serve populations with the highest combined percent of non-white residents and households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Within-size-class percentile rankings are used to avoid conflating system size with disparity, and a maximum of 5 systems per state is applied to produce a nationally-representative list.
| Rank | Water System | State | Pop served | Equity score | % PoC served | % Below 200% FPL | Unresolved violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City of Mendota | California | 8,464 | 99.8 | 97% | 71% | — |
| 2 | North Alamo WSC | Texas | 192,637 | 99.8 | 96% | 58% | 2 |
| 3 | City of Roma | Texas | 18,790 | 99.8 | 98% | 69% | 1 |
| 4 | Union Water Supply Corporation | Texas | 6,805 | 99.6 | 98% | 61% | 1 |
| 5 | City of Donna | Texas | 16,044 | 99.5 | 96% | 72% | — |
| 6 | Arvin Community Services District | California | 9,637 | 99.4 | 96% | 64% | 1 |
| 7 | Lamont Public Utility District | California | 10,080 | 99.4 | 95% | 71% | — |
| 8 | Orosi Public Utility District | California | 7,316 | 99.4 | 96% | 71% | — |
| 9 | Earlimart PUD | California | 7,202 | 99.4 | 98% | 58% | 1 |
| 10 | Riverdale | Illinois | 4,934 | 99.4 | 98% | 59% | — |
| 11 | City of Mercedes | Texas | 12,207 | 99.4 | 95% | 66% | — |
| 12 | City of Camden | New Jersey | 35,577 | 99.1 | 95% | 61% | 1 |
| 13 | Camino Real Regional Utility Authority | New Mexico | 9,903 | 99.1 | 95% | 61% | 12 |
| 14 | City of Douglas | Arizona | 14,123 | 98.8 | 92% | 62% | — |
| 15 | Anthony W&Sd | New Mexico | 6,392 | 98.8 | 95% | 57% | 1 |
| 16 | City of Nogales | Arizona | 17,336 | 98.6 | 95% | 55% | 1 |
| 17 | City of Opa Locka | Florida | 11,755 | 98.6 | 97% | 53% | — |
| 18 | Lake Section Water Company | New Mexico | 9,570 | 98.6 | 93% | 59% | 1 |
| 19 | City of San Luis | Arizona | 23,211 | 98.5 | 97% | 53% | — |
| 20 | East Chicago Water Works | Indiana | 19,040 | 98.4 | 93% | 56% | — |
| 21 | Newark Water Department | New Jersey | 256,503 | 98.4 | 91% | 50% | — |
| 22 | Highland Park | Michigan | 8,713 | 98.3 | 92% | 58% | — |
| 23 | City of Belzoni | Mississippi | 3,425 | 97.8 | 84% | 64% | — |
| 24 | Atlantic City Mua | New Jersey | 32,881 | 97.7 | 84% | 62% | — |
| 25 | City of Detroit | Michigan | 527,645 | 97.6 | 87% | 57% | — |
| 26 | Union Springs Util Board | Alabama | 4,081 | 97.4 | 82% | 63% | — |
| 27 | Clarksdale Public Utilities | Mississippi | 12,653 | 97.2 | 82% | 59% | 2 |
| 28 | Clarkdale Water Assn # 1 | Mississippi | 12,653 | 97.2 | 82% | 59% | — |
| 29 | Toppenish Water Department | Washington | 8,839 | 97.2 | 92% | 51% | — |
| 30 | Pbcwud - Lake Region WTP - System 11 | Florida | 27,557 | 97.1 | 88% | 53% | — |
| 31 | City of Sunnyside | Washington | 14,488 | 97 | 85% | 54% | — |
| 32 | Nellis Air Force Base | Nevada | 4,925 | 96.9 | 83% | 54% | 1 |
| 33 | City of Hialeah | Florida | 183,561 | 96.8 | 97% | 43% | — |
| 34 | Immokalee Water | Florida | 18,505 | 96.6 | 84% | 52% | — |
| 35 | Gallup Water System | New Mexico | 19,516 | 96.6 | 85% | 52% | — |
| 36 | Tuskegee, Utilities Board of the City of | Alabama | 7,915 | 96.5 | 88% | 50% | — |
| 37 | Winslow City of | Arizona | 7,458 | 96.4 | 83% | 51% | — |
| 38 | Harvey | Illinois | 17,401 | 96.4 | 95% | 47% | — |
| 39 | Inkster | Michigan | 27,820 | 96.4 | 80% | 54% | — |
| 40 | Wapato Waterworks | Washington | 6,198 | 96.2 | 88% | 49% | — |
| 41 | City of Somerton | Arizona | 14,109 | 96.1 | 95% | 47% | — |
| 42 | Grambling Water System | Louisiana | 3,903 | 96 | 73% | 69% | 9 |
| 43 | City of Greenville | Mississippi | 20,649 | 96 | 79% | 54% | — |
| 44 | City of Yazoo City | Mississippi | 10,880 | 96 | 74% | 61% | — |
| 45 | Homestead, City of | Florida | 74,366 | 95.9 | 91% | 48% | — |
| 46 | Robeson County Water System | North Carolina | 74,634 | 95.9 | 78% | 54% | — |
| 47 | City of Grandview | Washington | 9,126 | 95.7 | 82% | 50% | — |
| 48 | Mansfield Water System | Louisiana | 4,045 | 95.6 | 72% | 60% | 11 |
| 49 | Tallulah Water System | Louisiana | 5,558 | 95.6 | 71% | 62% | 9 |
| 50 | Buena Vista Township | Michigan | 5,523 | 95.4 | 71% | 61% | — |
| 51 | New Brunswick W Dept | New Jersey | 41,993 | 95.2 | 74% | 54% | — |
| 52 | West Memphis Waterworks | Arkansas | 21,389 | 95 | 71% | 57% | — |
| 53 | West Helena Water Works | Arkansas | 5,522 | 94.8 | 71% | 55% | — |
| 54 | Robbins | Illinois | 3,946 | 94.7 | 86% | 47% | — |
| 55 | Forrest City Waterworks | Arkansas | 12,710 | 94.6 | 67% | 59% | — |
| 56 | Lower Rio Grande Pwwa South Valley | New Mexico | 13,331 | 94.6 | 82% | 47% | — |
| 57 | Reading Area Water Authority | Pennsylvania | 92,870 | 94.6 | 74% | 51% | — |
| 58 | Calumet City | Illinois | 18,296 | 94.5 | 92% | 45% | 1 |
| 59 | Parish Utilities of Ascension | Louisiana | 3,992 | 94.4 | 73% | 51% | 1 |
| 60 | Lawrence Water Works | Massachusetts | 87,032 | 94.4 | 87% | 46% | — |
| 61 | Pontiac | Michigan | 61,455 | 94.4 | 76% | 49% | — |
| 62 | Orange Water Department | New Jersey | 34,056 | 94.4 | 95% | 44% | — |
| 63 | Henderson-Kerr Lake Reg Wtr | North Carolina | 16,937 | 94.2 | 70% | 52% | — |
| 64 | City of Selma, the Ww and Sb of the | Alabama | 18,271 | 94.1 | 73% | 50% | — |
| 65 | Duquesne Water Dept | Pennsylvania | 4,807 | 93.8 | 63% | 64% | — |
| 66 | City of Lumberton | North Carolina | 17,871 | 93.7 | 67% | 53% | — |
| 67 | North Chicago | Illinois | 24,913 | 93.5 | 76% | 47% | — |
| 68 | Pahoa | Hawaii | 3,328 | 93.4 | 63% | 57% | — |
| 69 | Dillon City of (Sc1710001) | South Carolina | 6,366 | 93.2 | 63% | 54% | — |
| 70 | Wadesboro, Town of | North Carolina | 3,645 | 93.1 | 62% | 57% | — |
| 71 | Othello Water Department | Washington | 7,814 | 93.1 | 75% | 47% | — |
| 72 | Laurinburg, City of | North Carolina | 13,295 | 93 | 63% | 54% | — |
| 73 | Bennettsville City of (Sc3410001) | South Carolina | 7,556 | 93 | 68% | 49% | — |
| 74 | Brownsville Water Department | Tennessee | 10,753 | 93 | 65% | 52% | — |
| 75 | Gsw&Sa-Marion City of (Sc3310001) | South Carolina | 4,624 | 92.9 | 60% | 63% | — |
| 76 | City of Rocky Ford | Colorado | 3,501 | 92.6 | 60% | 61% | — |
| 77 | City of Opelousas Water System | Louisiana | 14,662 | 92.5 | 63% | 51% | 3 |
| 78 | Orangeburg Dpu (Sc3810001) | South Carolina | 40,416 | 92.5 | 72% | 46% | — |
| 79 | Albany | Georgia | 71,952 | 92.4 | 71% | 47% | — |
| 80 | Chelsea Water Department (Mwra) | Massachusetts | 39,118 | 92.2 | 80% | 44% | — |
| 81 | City of Emporia | Virginia | 5,290 | 92.2 | 73% | 46% | 4 |
| 82 | Clayton County Water Authority | Georgia | 311,052 | 91.9 | 87% | 40% | — |
| 83 | Mullins City of (Sc3310002) | South Carolina | 3,763 | 91.6 | 58% | 55% | — |
| 84 | Eufaula Water Works | Alabama | 5,891 | 91.4 | 59% | 52% | — |
| 85 | Liberty Utilities | Arkansas | 38,352 | 91.4 | 67% | 46% | — |
| 86 | Aqua Ohio - Blacklick | Ohio | 4,901 | 91.1 | 74% | 44% | — |
| 87 | Americus | Georgia | 11,302 | 90.9 | 62% | 48% | — |
| 88 | Charleston Public Water System | Missouri | 3,524 | 90.9 | 55% | 56% | — |
| 89 | Capital Region Water | Pennsylvania | 47,976 | 90.8 | 67% | 45% | — |
| 90 | Ashburn | Georgia | 3,497 | 90.6 | 55% | 54% | — |
| 91 | Jones County | Georgia | 7,281 | 90.5 | 62% | 47% | — |
| 92 | Osceola Waterworks | Arkansas | 4,626 | 90.4 | 64% | 45% | — |
| 93 | Bessemer Water Service | Alabama | 43,436 | 90.2 | 69% | 44% | — |
| 94 | Town of Princess Anne | Maryland | 4,687 | 90 | 60% | 47% | — |
| 95 | Hca Hazleton Division | Pennsylvania | 41,450 | 89.8 | 55% | 50% | — |
| 96 | Guymon | Oklahoma | 11,398 | 89.6 | 69% | 43% | 1 |
| 97 | Memphis Light, Gas, & Water | Tennessee | 663,715 | 89.3 | 74% | 43% | — |
| 98 | City of Lexington | Nebraska | 9,815 | 88.8 | 77% | 40% | — |
| 99 | City of Alamosa | Colorado | 9,152 | 88.6 | 56% | 47% | — |
| 100 | Hammond Water Works Department | Indiana | 56,731 | 88.4 | 68% | 42% | — |
How to read this ranking
Each row links to a full utility profile with violation history, lead testing results, and service-area ZIPs. The demographic context columns are from independent data sources (ACS, not EJScreen) and are provided for readers who want to examine equity patterns alongside the operational data.
See the full methodology for calculation details, data vintages, and known limitations.
Frequently asked questions
What does the "equity score" mean?
A 0-100 composite that combines two within-size-class percentile ranks: (1) percent of population served that is non-white (Census ACS B03002), and (2) percent below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (Census ACS C17002). Within-size-class comparison (small, medium, large) is used because small rural systems and large urban systems have structurally different demographic profiles; mixing them in a single ranking produces a methodologically weak list dominated by size rather than disparity.
Why is the list capped at 5 systems per state?
Without a cap, the list concentrates in states with large numbers of historically disadvantaged small-to-medium systems (Texas, California). A geographic diversity cap produces a more nationally-representative snapshot. Per-state rankings, if available, show the full within-state comparison without a cap.
Does this claim discrimination?
No. It reports a demographic fact: these water utilities serve populations that are more non-white and lower-income than the national median, after controlling for system size. Causation — why that pattern exists — is a separate research question requiring different data and methods.
ZipCheckup is an independent public-data tool. We are a referral service and do not provide water testing, remediation, or utility services. Rankings reflect publicly-available federal data and are provided for informational purposes. For issues with your specific water system, contact your local water utility or state drinking water program.