Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia have the worst drinking water in the nation, according to Newsweek, while Hawaii, Delaware, and Kentucky have the cleanest.
Newsweek analyzed data from the Environmental Protection Agency on health-based violations, including failures to remove harmful chemicals, monitoring and reporting issues, and not notifying the public about water quality problems.
Hawaii, the state with the fewest violations, had only two, followed by Delaware with 117 and Kentucky with 139. Pennsylvania had the most violations, with 24,525, followed by Texas with 15,340 and West Virginia with 7,473.
Newsweek also reported that bottled water is regulated by the FDA, which has less rigorous oversight compared to the EPA’s regulation of tap water. Additionally, some bottled water is simply filtered tap water.